WPIAL boys basketball Class 4A season preview for 2025-26

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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There might be a changing of the guard this season in Class 4A with several key players graduated from teams that went deep into the postseason a year ago, including champion Belle Vernon.

Leading the departed list are the district’s top scorers from a year ago, Rowan Carmichael of Avonworth (32.1 ppg) and Brady Mayo of Beaver (26.3 ppg).

However, the one constant from last year to this season will be 2025 runner-up North Catholic. The Trojans settled for silver a year ago, but they are the team to beat this season thanks to a dynamic and high-scoring backcourt.

Here is a rundown of players to watch, the preseason Top 5 teams and other notables in WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball this season.

Preseason Player of the Year

Teegan Finucan, Knoch

6-3, senior, guard

21.3 ppg last season

Players to watch

Jude Rottmann, North Catholic

6-3, senior, guard

15.0 ppg last season

Jason Fredericks, North Catholic

6-1, senior, guard

19.1 ppg last season

Tyler Basic, Elizabeth Forward

5-10, junior, guard

16.7 ppg last season

Stanley Rajkovich, Derry

6-6, junior, guard/forward

16.5 ppg last season

Collin Rodgers, Deer Lakes

5-10, senior, guard

13.4 ppg last season

Preseason Top 5

1. North Catholic (18-10 last season)

A late rally fell short for the Trojans in the 2025 WPIAL Class 4A title game as coach Joe Salvino went out a champion with Belle Vernon holding on to win district gold. However, the silver could turn to gold this season with the return of the dynamic backcourt duo of Jude Rottman and Jason Fredericks, who averaged nearly 35 points per game between them.

2. Knoch (15-11 last season)

The Knights could have been loaded this season, however head coach Alan Bauman resigned and his sons, Jackson and Brody transferred to Moon. Plus 7-foot senior Zane Pacek is not playing to focus on baseball. Knoch returns seniors Teegan Finucan and Derek Lang, who may not be ready for the start of the season due to injury.

3. Derry (12-11 last season)

The Trojans were a playoff team in Class 3A in 2024 and didn’t miss a beat moving up to Class 4A in 2025. Expectations increase this year thanks in part to the return of 6-foot-6 Stanley Rajkovich, who led the team in scoring last season with 16.5 points per game. Derry has other pieces in place to be the favorite in Section 3-4A and make some noise in the postseason.

3. Elizabeth Forward (18-10 last season)

A year ago, the Warriors finished in second place in Section 3-4A, one game behind Belle Vernon. The Warriors were eliminated by the Leopards in the quarterfinals. Returning from that 18-win team for EF is senior guard Tyler Basic, who basically averaged nearly 17 points per game last season.

4. Deer Lakes (12-9 last season)

Following back-to-back WPIAL Class 3A championships in 2023 and 2024, the Lancers moved on up in class and did well in their first season in Class 4A, finishing in third place in Section 1-4A and losing in the quarterfinals to North Catholic. Senior guard Collin Rodgers returns.

Notables

• Belle Vernon might be a long shot to repeat as 4A champions this season, but if the Leopards pull it off, they will join another Leopards team that repeated in 4A this decade. Lincoln Park won back-to-back 4A gold in 2023 and 2024.

• Some 4A anniversaries as we head into the second half of the third decade this century:

• 40 years ago, Norwin won the WPIAL 4A boys basketball crown in 1986

• 30 years ago, Upper St. Clair took home gold in the 1996 4A finals

• 25 years ago, Chartiers Valley captured the 4A title in the winter of 2001

• 20 years ago, Mt. Lebanon won the 2006 championship

• 10 years ago, Pine-Richland won it all the year before the expansion to six classes

• Other teams to watch in Class 4A include nearly all of Section 2 with Quaker Valley, Hopewell, Avonworth, Beaver and Central Valley. Troy Bielak will have Highlands in the mix, and don’t sleep on Belle Vernon as a new era begins with Ricky Tyburski taking over for Joe Salvino.

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

Alignment

Section 1: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Highlands, Knoch, North Catholic, Valley

Section 2: Ambridge, Avonworth, Beaver, Central Valley, Hopewell, Quaker Valley

Section 3: Belle Vernon, Derry, East Allegheny, Elizabeth Forward, Greensburg Salem, West Mifflin, Yough

Tags: Ambridge, Avonworth, Beaver, Belle Vernon, Burrell, Central Valley, Deer Lakes, Derry Area, East Allegheny, Elizabeth Forward, Freeport, Greensburg Salem, Highlands, Hopewell, Knoch, North Catholic, Quaker Valley, Valley, West Mifflin, Yough