Westmoreland WPIAL basketball playoff capsules: Games for Feb. 27, 2023

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, February 26, 2023 | 4:48 PM

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WPIAL basketball playoffs

Girls

Class 6A

Semifinals

3-Norwin (20-3) vs. 2-North Allegheny (18-5)

6 p.m. Monday, Fox Chapel High School, O’Hara Township

Winner plays: Winner of 4-Mt. Lebanon (17-6)/1-Upper St. Clair (20-2) at 7 p.m. March 3 in championship at Petersen Events Center

Players to watch: Lauren Palangio, Norwin; Jasmine Timmerson, North Allegheny

Layup lines: This is a familiar clash of 6A powers and, until recently, reunited Section 1 rivals. The section co-champs split their two-game series in back-to-back seasons. This year, each won on their home floor: Norwin, 53-32, and North Allegheny, 52-45. Since 2006, they have met 27 times, with North Allegheny winning 15. Norwin, however, is 3-1 against the Tigers in the playoffs, including a 63-57 win in the WPIAL championship in 2015-16. North Allegheny edged the Knights, 37-36, in the 2018-19 semifinals. … Norwin is allowing just 32.9 points, the lowest defensive average in 6A. The Knights have held five straight opponents under 30 points. Norwin has not been to the WPIAL final since it won the second of back-to-back titles in 2016. In a 57-26 win over Baldwin in the quarterfinals, sophomore Kendall Berger scored 21 points. Palangio and senior Kate Botti present size matchup problems. Junior guard Kendall Williams is out with an injury for the second time this season. … Pitt commit Timmerson scored 20 points, and Kellie McConnell added 13 as North Allegheny jumped on Pine-Richland early and posted a 69-56 victory in the quarters. The Tigers have won 10 of their last 11. They have not lost a section game to a team other than Norwin since 2017. North Allegheny was stopped in the semifinals last year by Upper St. Clair after winning back-to-back WPIAL titles as well as a PIAA championship in 2020-21. The Tigers have four WPIAL titles in six years, all in 6A. Both teams have qualified for the PIAA playoffs. The loser will play the loser of Mt. Lebanon-Upper St. Clair in the WPIAL third-place game for state seeding.

Class 5A

Consolation round

Penn-Trafford (16-8) at Trinity (16-7)

8 p.m. Monday, Trinity High School, Washington

Winner plays: Winner of Mars (16-7)/Hampton (15-9) Thursday (time, site TBD) in fifth-place game.

Loser plays: Loser of Mars/Hampton Thursday (time, site TBD) in seventh-place game.

Players to watch: Lauren Marton, Penn-Trafford; Eden Williamson, Trinity

Layup lines: Penn-Trafford dropped into the consolation bracket after a 70-49 loss to top-seeded and defending champion South Fayette in the quarterfinals. The Warriors have not been to the PIAA playoffs since the 2013-14 season. Olivia Pepple had 22 points and Lauren Marton added 17 in the loss. … Fourth-seeded Trinity fell victim to upset-minded Woodland Hills, which also knocked off No. 5 Armstrong. The Hillers lost to the No. 12 Wolverines, 51-40. Trinity lost a pair of section games to No. 1 seed South Fayette, 47-25 and 48-31. The Hillers knocked out Latrobe in the first round, 68-61. Trinity lost in the first round of the state playoffs last year. The top seven teams in 5A advance to the state playoffs. The loser will play for seventh place.

Class 4A

Consolation round

Belle Vernon (15-9) at Knoch (15-9)

8 p.m. Monday, Knoch High School, Saxonburg

Winner plays: Winner of Beaver (14-9)/Elizabeth Forward (17-6) Thursday (time, site TBD) in fifth-place

game.

Players to watch: Presleigh Colditz, Belle Vernon; Hattie McGraw, Knoch

Layup lines: Belle Vernon fell to top-seeded Blackhawk, 63-45, in the quarterfinals to move into the consolation bracket. Jenna Dawson had 17 points, and Farrah Reader added 10 in the loss. The Leopards last made the state tournament in 2017-18. … Knoch couldn’t overcome No. 4 Quaker Valley and fell 52-39. Knoch finished 22-4 last year and reached the WPIAL championship and PIAA second round. Only three seniors from that team moved on.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Knoch, North Allegheny, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Trinity