WPIAL boys basketball Class 6A season preview for 2025-26

By: Don Rebel
Friday, November 28, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Last season, Upper St. Clair made history in becoming the first back-to-back WPIAL champion in Class 6A history.

With a lot of talent graduated, do the Panthers have what it takes to become the first three-peat winner in the district’s highest classification since New Castle won three 4A titles in a row from 1997-1999?

Here is a rundown of players to watch, Top 5 teams and other notables in WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball this season.

Preseason Player of the Year

Liam Sheely, Mt. Lebanon

6-3, senior, guard

18.3 ppg last season

Players to watch

Andrew Gettinger, Butler

6-5, senior, forward

15.3 ppg last season

Ryan Robbins, Upper St. Clair

6-7, junior, center

7.0 ppg last season

Kai Cox, New Castle

6-2, sophomore, guard

17.1 ppg last season

Enzo Khalil, Central Catholic

6-2, senior, guard

14.6 ppg last season

Scoop Smith, Woodland Hills

5-5, senior, guard

17.7 ppg last season

Donovan Gordon, Imani Christian

6-0, junior, guard

Preseason Top 5

1. New Castle (21-5 last season)

The Red Hurricanes returned to form last season, bouncing back from missing the playoffs in 2024 to reach the 6A championship game in 2025. New Castle is well balanced heading into this season led by sophomore Kai Cox, who averaged over 17 points per game as a freshman. Seniors Damian Harrison and Qualin Davis are back and freshman Marino Graham will make his debut.

2. Upper St. Clair (26-3 last season)

The two-time defending WPIAL 6A champion Panthers lost a lot of talent from their repeat performance team a year ago, including starters Tyler Robbins, Kaamil Jackson, Julian Dahlem and Nico Gidas to graduation. However, the talent cupboard is far from empty with the return of starting guard Jake Foster and Tyler’s “little” brother, 6-7 Ryan Robbins on the blocks.

3. Mt. Lebanon (17-10 last season)

The Blue Devils had an up-and-down campaign in 2025 but still managed to make the playoffs and reach the 6A semifinals. Mt. Lebanon returns one of the top scorers in the district in Liam Sheely, who, despite injuries, managed to average more than 18 points per game. They return some size in Dane Barber and Patrick Smith along with guard Carter Gould.

4. Imani Christian (13-8 last season)

After dominating Class A in winning back-to-back district and state championships, the Saints made the giant leap all the way up the classification ladder to Class 6A last season and handled the jump quite nicely. There are talented shoes to fill with the graduation of leading scorer R.J. Sledge, but Imani Christian does return a pair of talented juniors in Donovan Gordon and Kieshaun Demus.

5. Central Catholic (15-11 last season)

The Vikings finished in third place in Section 2-6A last season but upended Fox Chapel in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Upper St. Clair in the WPIAL final four. It marked the fourth straight season Central Catholic has reached the district semifinals, winning it all in 2023. Leading the way this season is senior guard Enzo Khalil, who averaged nearly 15 points per game a year ago.

Notables

• Of the 16 current teams in Class 6A boys basketball, half have won a WPIAL championship in the last 10 years. The gold standards are Upper St. Clair (3), New Castle (4), Imani Christian (2), Pine-Richland (2), Mt. Lebanon, Butler, Fox Chapel and Central Catholic.

• On this 10th anniversary of Class 6A boys basketball, here is the championship scorecard for what has been a balanced classification. Upper St. Clair three and one each for Central Catholic, Fox Chapel, Butler, Mt. Lebanon, Penn Hills and Pine-Richland.

• For a second straight year, the southern Section 2-6A got the better of the northern Section 1-6A with three teams in the final four and Upper St. Clair defeating New Castle in a battle of section champions in the district finals.

• Other players to watch in 6A include Butler senior Stainton Forbes, Hempfield senior Danny Husentis, Woodland Hills junior Donshae Mosley, Seneca Valley senior Owen Congdon, Norwin senior Nathan Kuch and Fox Chapel senior John Rehak.

• In Section 2, Mt. Lebanon or Upper St. Clair has won outright or earned a share of the section championship in each of the last 12 years.

Alignment

Section 1: Butler, Fox Chapel, New Castle, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Woodland Hills

Section 2: Canon-McMillan, Central Catholic, Connellsville, Hempfield, Imani Christian, Mt. Lebanon, Norwin, Upper St. Clair

Tags: Butler, Canon-McMillan, Central Catholic, Connellsville, Fox Chapel, Hempfield, Imani Christian, Mt. lebanon, New Castle, North Allegheny, North Hills, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Upper St. Clair, Woodland Hills