WPIAL boys basketball Class A season preview for 2025-26

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, November 23, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Graduation took its toll on the district’s smallest classification in enrollment and teams with only 12 schools.

Graduated are three of the top scorers in the district in Jake Guillen of Aquinas Academy (24 ppg), Courtney Wallace of Neighborhood Academy (22.6 ppg) and Owen Dumbroski (20.7 ppg) of Serra Catholic.

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

Preseason Player of the Year

Sam Duer, Aquinas Academy

5-11, senior, guard

21.2 ppg last season

Players to watch

Kedron Gilmore, Neighborhood Academy

6-1, junior, guard

16.0 ppg last season

Derick Hardeman, Neighborhood Academy

6-5, senior, center

8 ppg last season

Evan Strimel, Geibel Catholic

5-7, senior, guard

20.0 ppg last season

Tyler Sapida, Serra Catholic

6-3, senior, forward

10.0 ppg last season

Mark Johnson, Serra Catholic

5-10, junior, guard

11.5 ppg last season

Preseason Top 5

1. Neighborhood Academy (29-1 last season)

It was a beautiful season in the neighborhood for the Bulldogs, who were the only district boys basketball team to win both WPIAL and PIAA championships last season. Four seniors graduated, including three starters, but many key pieces return, including title game starters in junior guard Kedron Gilmore and senior center Derick Hardeman as well as Syncer Nicholson. Talented freshmen Julius Page Jr. and Elijah Cunningham are expected to contribute as well. Cunningham is out a month because of injury.

2. Serra Catholic (22-5)

The Eagles were flying high all season long, except when they lined up against their kryptonite: Neighborhood Academy. Three of their five losses were to the Bulldogs, including a 23-point loss in the Class A finals. Serra Catholic is once expected be a contender in its section and for district gold with the return of senior forward Tyler Sapida and juniors Mark Johnson and Brayden Graham.

3. Aquinas Academy (20-8)

Contenders have come and gone in Class A, but the one constant is the Crusaders will play up-tempo basketball and score — a lot. Once again, Aquinas Academy led the WPIAL in scoring, averaging 74.5 points. Jacob Guillen did a great job carrying the scoring torch passed by all-time WPIAL scoring leader Vinnie Cugini. Now Sam Duer is set to be the man after 21.2 points per game a year ago.

4. Geibel Catholic (14-9)

The Gators finished in a third-place tie with Monessen in Section 2-A with a 5-5 section record and an overall mark of 14-9 last season. The team only had one multi-game losing skid and that was only two straight losses. On the flip side, the Gators started the season winning their first four games. Leading Geibel Catholic this season is senior guard Evan Strimel, who averaged 20 points per game as a junior.

5. Monessen (13-10)

The 2024-2025 campaign was a challenging one for the Greyhounds, who finished .500 in Section 2-A at 5-5 and 13-10 overall. Monessen returned to the playoffs albeit briefly with a quarterfinal loss to Nazareth Prep. The ‘Hounds do have some experience returning in the form of senior Rodney Johnson as well as senior Tayvin Craggette and junior Jae’kwon Craggette.

Notables

• Of the 12 teams that make up Class A, only three are public schools: Avella, Cornell and Monessen. The last boundary school to win the WPIAL A boys basketball title was Monessen in 2017. The last time a public school not nicknamed the Greyhounds won Class A gold on the hardwood was Leechburg in 2007.

• Nazareth Prep in Section 1 and Neighborhood Academy in Section 2 were the section champions last season.

• Here are some of the anniversaries for Class A boys hoops:

• 50 years ago, St. Thomas in Braddock won the 1976 title.

• 40 years ago, Duquesne captured 1986 gold.

• 30 years ago, Duquesne won again in 1996.

• 25 years ago, Joey Salvino and Monessen won it all in 2001.

• 20 years ago, Clairton won its most recent district crown in 2006.

• 10 years ago, before moving up, North Catholic won the championship in 2016.

• The playoff format in Class A is short and hopefully sweet with the top four teams in each of the two sections qualifying for the WPIAL postseason. If there are no ties, the bracket begins with four quarterfinals.

Alignment

Section 1: Aquinas Academy, Avella, Beaver County Christian, Cornell, Nazareth Prep, Summit Academy

Section 2: Environmental Charter, Geibel Catholic, Monessen, Neighborhood Academy, St. Joseph, Serra Catholic

Tags: Aquinas Academy, Avella, Beaver County Christian, Cornell, Geibel, Monessen, Nazareth Prep, Neighborhood Academy, Serra Catholic, St. Joseph, Summit Academy