What to watch for in WPIAL sports for Jan. 23, 2024: Trinity hosts Lincoln Park for 1st in Section 4-5A

By: Don Rebel
Monday, January 22, 2024 | 5:18 PM

Two of the top girls basketball teams in WPIAL Class 5A were scheduled to meet in a battle for first place last week.

However, Mother Nature had different plans as the game was postponed because of snow.

The stakes are still high though as they finally collide Tuesday.

Lincoln Park and Trinity are both 4-0 in Section 4-5A and are a combined 24-3 this season.

The Leopards are a perfect 14-0 and have an average margin of victory of 27 points in those wins.

The Hillers are 11-3 overall and had won 10 straight games before falling to the Linsly School (W.Va.) and Chartiers Valley in back-to-back overtime losses.

Lincoln Park at Trinity tip off at 7:30 p.m. Watch it on Trib HSSN.

Crowded middle

While Seton LaSalle and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart have separated themselves from the rest of the pack in WPIAL Section 2-3A boys basketball, the battle between the remaining five teams for at least two playoff berths is worth watching in the second half of section play.

The Rebels are in first place at 6-0 in the section while the Chargers are a game back at 6-1.

Then the fun begins as the difference right now between third place and seventh place is only two games.

South Park is 3-3 at the midway point of section action, Keystone Oaks is 3-4, Sto-Rox is 2-4, Brentwood is 2-5 and even Steel Valley is still alive at 0-5.

The second half tips off Tuesday as South Park visits Seton LaSalle, Keystone Oaks hosts Steel Valley and Sto-Rox travels to Brentwood.

Bucs-Bulldogs again

On Monday, we mentioned a key girls basketball game in Section 4-2A with Chartiers-Houston visiting Beth-Center.

Tuesday is the boys’ turn as these two schools square off with playoff chase ramifications in Section 4-2A as Chartiers-Houston visits Beth-Center.

The Buccaneers are tied for third place with Frazier at 3-3 in the section, 10-5 overall. They had dropped three straight games before beating Carmichaels last week.

The Bulldogs are even in the loss column with the Bucs and Commodores at 2-3 in the section and 4-10 overall. They have lost four of their last five games.

In the first meeting of the season between these two teams last month, Chartiers-Houston won big at home over Beth-Center, 80-64.

Tags: Beth-Center, Brentwood, Chartiers-Houston, Keystone Oaks, Lincoln Park, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Seton La Salle, South Park, Steel Valley, Sto-Rox, Trinity