What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Dec. 27, 2021: Holiday hoops galore

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, December 26, 2021 | 6:21 PM

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‘Tis the season for holiday hoops around the WPIAL.

The long tradition of holiday basketball tournaments played between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day returns after a one-year hiatus.

Last year at this time, all high school sports were in a monthlong shutdown that began on Dec. 11 and lasted until the second week of January.

This year, a couple of local teams are even getting out of town for the holidays.

The Mars boys basketball team is taking part in the Pensacola Beach Tournament beginning Monday. They are scheduled to play three games, starting with one against Princeton, Ohio.

The Central Catholic basketball team is on the eastern side of the state, playing in the LaSalle College Holiday Tournament. The Vikings will face the host Explorers on Monday.

Boys and girls tournaments

There are several district schools hosting boys and girls holiday tournaments this week.

Three of them tip off Monday.

A full day of basketball with two boys and two girls games are set for the Bentworth Holiday Tournament, the Bethel Park Holiday Tournament and the Carmichaels King Coal Lions Tournament.

WPIAL vs D-10

There are six other boys or girls holiday tournaments starting around the district Monday.

One of them is a one-day event called the Holiday Bash. It features some of the area’s top boys teams and is at North Allegheny.

The lineup includes:

• Youngstown Chaney (Ohio) vs. Sto-Rox, 1:30 p.m.

• Gateway vs. North Catholic, 3 p.m.

• Bishop Canevin vs. Butler, 4:30 p.m.

• Central Florida Christian (Fla.) vs. First Love Christian, 6 p.m.

• Imani Christian at North Allegheny, 7:30 p.m.

The 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. games can be heard on Trib HSSN.

Tags: Bentworth, Bethel Park, Bishop Canevin, Butler, Carmichaels, Central Catholic, Gateway, Imani Christian, Mars, North Allegheny, North Catholic