WPIAL bracketology: Chris Harlan, Don Rebel forecast the 2025 boys basketball playoff pairings

By: Chris Harlan
Sunday, February 9, 2025 | 2:00 AM

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The 2025 boys basketball playoff field is set with 85 teams in the six classifications.

Class A heads straight into the quarterfinal round while the five other classifications start with first-round games. Class 5A has 17 teams with one pigtail game and 3A has a full 16-team bracket with no byes. Class 4A has 12 teams, Class 6A has 11 and Class A has eight.

Class 2A has the largest field with 21 teams. That requires five preliminary round games to narrow the field to 16.

The official WPIAL brackets will be unveiled Monday. Don’t miss the WPIAL Basketball Playoff Pairings Show on TribLive HSSN at 3 p.m. Until then, Chris Harlan and Don Rebel will try to project what the WPIAL basketball steering committee will decide.

Class 6A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 1 Upper St. Clair – bye

No. 9 Woodland Hills vs. No. 8 Seneca Valley

No. 4 Central Catholic – bye

No. 5 Fox Chapel – bye

No. 2 New Castle – bye

No. 10 Norwin at No. 7 Butler

No. 3 Imani Christian – bye

No. 11 North Hills at No. 6 Mt. Lebanon

Harlan says: Defending champion Upper St. Clair is the clear choice for the top seed. The Panthers stumbled with a late section loss to Imani Christian but were solid all season. New Castle finished strong to secure the second seed. The Red Hurricanes won the Section 2 title outright and celebrated a nonsection win over Aliquippa on Saturday. Imani Christian and Central Catholic (who combined for an overtime thriller on Thursday) showed themselves to be the next best. Section 2 qualified six teams, leading to a quick rematch between Seneca Valley and Woodland Hills, who split their section series.

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 1 Upper St. Clair – bye

No. 9 Norwin at 8 Seneca Valley

No. 4 Fox Chapel – bye

No. 5 Butler – bye

No. 2 New Castle – bye

No. 10 Woodland Hills at No. 7 Mt. Lebanon

No. 3 Imani Christian – bye

No. 11 North Hills at No. 6 Central Catholic

Rebel says: The section winners are a clear No. 1 and No. 2. After that, its gets murky. Imani gets the No. 3 seed after beating USC two weeks ago. Butler gets the edge for the No. 5 seed and a bye over No. 6 Central Catholic due to strong finish and quality wins. This does set up a third game between Butler and Fox Chapel in the quarterfinals with the two having split in the regular season.

Class 5A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 16 Franklin Regional/Indiana winner at No. 1 Montour

No. 9 Latrobe at No. 8 South Fayette

No. 13 Hampton at No. 4 Chartiers Valley

No. 12 Mars at No. 5 Kiski Area

No. 15 Penn-Trafford at No. 2 Baldwin

No. 10 Penn Hills at No. 7 Peters Township

No. 14 Thomas Jefferson at No. 3 Uniontown

No. 11 Gateway at No. 6 Moon

Harlan says: Section champions Montour and Baldwin both finished 20-1, so there may be some debate over the No. 1 seed. But Montour’s only loss came in Florida in December. Baldwin lost a section game to South Fayette. Section 1 winner Uniontown is the likely third seed followed by Chartiers Valley, which finished second behind Montour in Section 4. Kiski Area draws the five seed here as the winner of Section 2, but might that be generous since the Cavaliers lack big nonsection wins?

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 16 Indiana/Franklin Regional winner at No. 1 Montour

No. 9 Latrobe at No. 8 Kiski Area

No. 13 Penn Hills at No. 4 Chartiers Valley

No. 12 Mars at No. 5 Peters Township

No. 15 Hampton at No. 2 Baldwin

No. 10 Gateway at No. 7 South Fayette

No. 14 Thomas Jefferson at No. 3 Uniontown

No. 11 Penn-Trafford at No. 6 Moon

Rebel says: A competitive bracket per usual for Class 5A, although this year’s field is heavy at the top. Congrats to Kiski Area for winning its first boys basketball section title in 12 years, however it is not enough to get the streaky Cavs into the top seven. A debate could be made for how the top three are slotted, but three strong section winners go Montour, Baldwin and Uniontown, with all three more than capable of winning it all.

Class 4A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 1 Belle Vernon – bye

No. 9 Highlands at No. 8 Central Valley

No. 4 Beaver – bye

No. 12 West Mifflin at No. 5 Knoch

No. 2 North Catholic – bye

No. 10 Quaker Valley at No. 7 Elizabeth Forward

No. 3 Avonworth – bye

No. 11 Derry at No. 6 Deer Lakes

Harlan says: The final week of the regular season sure shook up this bracket. North Catholic defeated Knoch and Deer Lakes to win the Section 1 title outright and claim the No. 2 seed. Beaver won a share of the Section 2 title by defeating Avonworth on Friday. The co-champion that wins the section rematch often earns the higher seed, but Avonworth gets the slight edge here based on its overall work. Belle Vernon is the hottest team in 4A with a 12-game wins streak.

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 1 Belle Vernon – bye

No. 9 Quaker Valley at No. 8 Deer Lakes

No. 4 North Catholic – bye

No. 12 West Mifflin at No. 5 Central Valley

No. 2 Beaver – bye

No. 10 Highlands at No. 7 Elizabeth Forward

No. 3 Avonworth – bye

No. 11 Derry at No. 6 Knoch

Rebel says: No clear-cut top-seed here. Beaver knocking off Avonworth on the final night of section play created some drama at the top. With the Bobcats at No. 2 and the Antelopes at No. 3, a third battle between the section rivals would be in the semifinals. North Catholic is a strong No. 4 after outlasting Knoch and Deer Lakes in a tight Section 1 race. Sentimental favorite is Belle Vernon following the announcement that the second-winningest coach in WPIAL history, Joey Salvino, would be retiring after this season. Doesn’t hurt that the Leopards have a win over Uniontown on their resume.

Class 3A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 16 Charleroi at No. 1 Aliquippa

No. 9 Ligonier Valley at No. 8 McGuffey

No. 13 Seton LaSalle at No. 4 Mohawk

No. 12 Shady Side Academy at No. 5 Keystone Oaks

No. 15 Carlynton at No. 2 South Allegheny

No. 10 Waynesburg at No. 7 South Park

No. 14 New Brighton at No. 3 Bishop Canevin

No. 11 Ellwood City at No. 6 Southmoreland

Harlan says: Kudos to Aliquippa, South Allegheny and Bishop Canevin for all taking on gutsy nonsection schedules. But the top seed here belongs to the Quips, who moved up to Class 3A after winning WPIAL and PIAA titles in 2A. A few nonsection games helped shape the rest of the bracket. Keystone Oaks defeated Southmoreland and South Park. South Park had a loss to Southmoreland.

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 16 Charleroi at No. 1 Aliquippa

No. 9 South Park at No. 8 McGuffey

No. 13 Carlynton at No. 4 Mohawk

No. 12 Waynesburg at No. 5 Keystone Oaks

No. 15 New Brighton at No. 2 South Allegheny

No. 10 Ligonier Valley at No. 7 Ellwood City

No. 14 Seton LaSalle at No. 3 Bishop Canevin

No. 11 Shady Side Academy at No. 6 Southmoreland

Rebel says: It is going to take a big effort by somebody to keep Aliquippa from meeting South Allegheny in the 3A finals, but the beauty of the bracket is upsets happen. Don’t be fooled by the 12-8 record for Bishop Canevin, which survived an incredible nonsection schedule to win Section 2. Keystone Oaks returns to the playoffs and wins over both Southmoreland and South Park bump them up to No. 5.

Class 2A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 16 Brentwood/Beth-Center winner at No. 1 Greensburg Central Catholic

No. 9 Winchester Thurston at No. 8 Union

No. 13 West Greene/Laurel winner at No. 4 Jeannette

No. 12 Springdale/Shenango winner at No. 5 Chartiers-Houston

No. 15 Eden Christian/South Side winner at No. 2 Sewickley Academy

No. 10 Clairton at No. 7 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

No. 14 Jefferson-Morgan/Bentworth winner at No. 3 Neshannock

No. 11 Fort Cherry at No. 6 Northgate

Harlan says: Twenty-one teams qualified in Class 2A, meaning there are five preliminary round games. Predicting those matchups with any accuracy is likely impossible. Greensburg Central Catholic is the clear No. 1 seed. The teams at two, three, four and five could all switch spots if the committee chooses.

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 16 Bentworth/Eden Christian Academy winner at No. 1 Greensburg Central Catholic

No. 9 Shenango at No. 8 Northgate

No. 13 South Side/Fort Cherry winner at No. 4 Jeannette

No. 12 Springdale/Jefferson-Morgan winner at No. 5 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

No. 15 Beth-Center/Laurel winner at No. 2 Sewickley Academy

No. 10 Clairton at No. 7 Union

No. 14 Brentwood/West Greene winner at No. 3 Neshannock

No. 11 Winchester Thurston at No. 6 Chartiers-Houston

Rebel says: I am saying a prayer now for the basketball steering committee for when they tackle the Class 2A bracket. I’ve put enough time into deciphering this marathon tournament, my typewriter is tired.

Class A

Chris Harlan’s bracket

No. 8 Beaver County Christian at No. 1 Neighborhood Academy

No. 5 Geibel Catholic at No. 4 Aquinas Academy

No. 7 Monessen at No. 2 Nazareth Prep

No. 6 Summit Academy at No. 3 Serra Catholic

Harlan says: My apologies to Beaver County Christian, which lost a nonsection game, 65-8, at Neighborhood Academy in early December. Led by Yale commit Courtney Wallace, Neighborhood Academy is 21-1 and has steamrolled opponents this season. There will be a new WPIAL champion in Class A since Imani Christian move to 6A. Neighborhood Academy was the runner-up last season.

Don Rebel’s bracket

No. 8 Beaver County Christian at No. 1 Neighborhood Academy

No. 5 Geibel Catholic at No. 4 Aquinas Academy

No. 7 Monessen at No. 2 Nazareth Prep

No. 6 Summit Academy at No. 3 Serra Catholic

Rebel says: Even though Imani Christian left Class A for 6A in this two-year cycle, we likely haven’t seen the last of a school dominating their way to a Class A championship. Neighborhood Academy has taken Imani’s place as THE team to beat in a bracket that begins with the quarterfinals. Like most eight-team brackets, this was cross-over city between the two sections to make this bracket.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.