WPIAL boys basketball Class 3A season preview for 2025-26

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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It took a long time for South Allegheny to win boys hoops title No. 1. Might it only take 12 months for championship No. 2?

Only three 3A programs have repeated as championship this century: Moon from 2004-2006, Lincoln Park in 2018-2019 and Deer Lakes in 2023-2024.

Here is a rundown of players to watch, Top 5 teams and other notables in WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball this season.

Preseason Player of the Year

Drew Cook, South Allegheny

5-11, senior, guard

21.0 ppg last season

Players to watch

Qa’Lil Goode, Aliquippa

6-2, senior, guard

14.4 ppg last season

Bobby Fadden, Mohawk

6-2, senior, guard

21.7 ppg last season

Drew Wrona, Mohawk

6-2, junior, guard

15.8 ppg last season

Erond Jakupi, Keystone Oaks

6-2, senior, guard

19.6 ppg last season

Drew Allen, Bishop Canevin

6-2, senior, forward

16.3 ppg last season

Preseason Top 5

1. South Allegheny (27-4)

After knocking on the door in recent years, the Gladiators kicked it down last season and celebrated their first WPIAL boys basketball championship. Though the run of Epps brothers dominating the hardwood has ended, the Cook brothers are shining at SA now. Senior guard Drew Cook averaged 21 points last season. Sophomore Alijah Cook joins him in the backcourt and senior Jake Uher returns in the post.

2. Mohawk (21-7)

The Warriors finished in second place in Section 1-3A behind Aliquippa last season and reached the district semifinals before falling to eventual champion South Allegheny. Mohawk has four starters back this winter led by senior guard Bobby Fadden, who averaged nearly 22 points a year ago and is closing in on the 2,000-career-point plateau. Junior guard Drew Wrona makes for a strong scoring backcourt for the Warriors.

3. Aliquippa (23-6)

The Quips led by five points heading into the fourth quarter of the 2025 Class 3A district title game in an effort to win their third straight WPIAL championship, but South Allegheny rallied to win 37-35. Aliquippa would have been the favorite to win it all in 3A, but Josh and Jeremiah Pratt transferred to Lincoln Park. Senior Qa’Lil Goode returns after averaging 14.4 points for the Quips along with senior Marques Council Jr.

4. Bishop Canevin (15-12)

The Crusaders won the Section 2-3A crown by three games last season, then reached the district semifinals where they lost to Aliquippa. It will be another season of change at Bishop Canevin as Aaron McGee resigned and was replaced by former Vincentian Academy coach Tim Tyree Jr. He will rely heavily on senior forward Drew Allen, who averaged more than 16 points a year ago.

5. Keystone Oaks (18-9)

Outside of not being able to fly past the Bishop Canevin barrier, the Golden Eagles tasted plenty of success last season. KO finished second behind the Crusaders in Section 2-3A and reached the WPIAL quarterfinals, where they fell for a third time to BC. Keystone Oaks returns four of its five starters from that team with senior guard Erond Jakupi leading the way. He averaged nearly 20 points last season.

Notables

• The Class 3A section champions from a year ago were Aliquippa in Section 1, Bishop Canevin in Section 2, South Allegheny in Section 3 and Southmoreland in Section 4.

• Some of the other talented players to watch include Ellwood City senior Aaron Lake (15.8 ppg a year ago), Washington senior Tristan Reed (14.5 ppg), South Park senior Luke Scarff (22.1 ppg), Southmoreland senior Noah Felentzer (22.5 ppg), Ligonier Valley senior Mike Wizniewski (15.5 ppg), Waynesburg junior Cole Headlee (12.7 ppg) and Brownsville senior Jaiden Praster (14 ppg).

• Class 3A is the oldest of the six classifications dating to the 1909 season. Here are some of the 3A championship anniversaries:

• 100 years ago, Uniontown won the 1926 championship

• 50 years ago, Farrell was on top, winning the 1976 title game

• 25 years ago, Brownsville won its first and only WPIAL crown in 2001

• 10 years ago, Beaver Falls claimed its 10th and most recent championship in the winter of 2016

• The top four teams in each of the four sections will qualify for the WPIAL playoffs.

Alignment

Section 1: Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Freedom, Mohawk, New Brighton, Riverside

Section 2: Bishop Canevin, Carlynton, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey, Sto-Rox, Washington

Section 3: Apollo-Ridge, Seton LaSalle, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, South Park, Steel Valley

Section 4: Brownsville, Charleroi, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Waynesburg Central

Tags: Aliquippa, Apollo-Ridge, Beaver Falls, Bishop Canevin, Brownsville, Carlynton, Charleroi, Ellwood City, Freedom, Keystone Oaks, Ligonier Valley, McGuffey, Mohawk, Mt. Pleasant, New Brighton, Riverside, Seton La Salle, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, South Park, Southmoreland, Steel Valley, Sto-Rox, Washington, Waynesburg