WPIAL bracketology: Chris Harlan, Don Rebel forecast the 2024 boys basketball playoff pairings
By:
Saturday, February 10, 2024 | 9:16 PM
Moon’s Elijah Guillory scores against Mars on Tuesday, Jan. 65, 2024, in Adams Twp.
The 2024 WPIAL boys basketball playoff field is set with 87 teams in the six classifications.
Class 6A goes straight into the quarterfinal round while the five other classifications start with first-round games. Class 4A, 3A and 2A have full 16-team brackets with no byes. Class 5A has 17 teams, meaning two schools must meet in a preliminary round game. There are two first-round byes in Class A, which has 14 teams.
The brackets will be unveiled at 2 p.m. Monday on the WPIAL Basketball Playoff Pairings Show on TribLive HSSN. Until then, Don Rebel and Chris Harlan try to project what the the WPIAL basketball steering committee could decide.
Class 6A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 8 Pine-Richland at No. 1 Mt. Lebanon
No. 5 Baldwin at No. 4 North Allegheny
No. 7 Canon-McMillan at No. 2 Central Catholic
No. 6 Butler at No. 3 Upper St. Clair
Rebel says: Mt. Lebanon enjoyed an outstanding season against tough competition to become the only 6A team to win over 17 games this season, earning the 18-win Blue Devils the top seed over defending champion Central Catholic. USC gets the nod over NA for No. 3 seed thanks to splitting with Section 2 champion Lebo. Watch out for a pair of dangerous third-place teams as Butler and/or Baldwin could win two playoff games and end up at “The Pete” playing for district gold.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 8 Pine-Richland at No. 1 Mt. Lebanon
No. 5 Baldwin at No. 4 North Allegheny
No. 7 Canon-McMillan at No. 2 Central Catholic
No. 6 Butler at No. 3 Upper St. Clair
Harlan says: Central Catholic finished its section schedule with strong wins over Butler and North Allegheny, earning the Vikings a section title and likely a No. 2 seed. The only real debate in this bracket might be which team gets the home game in the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup: North Allegheny (10-12) or Baldwin (16-5)?
Class 5A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 16 Trinity/Woodland Hills winner at No. 1 Moon
No. 9 North Hills at No. 8 Fox Chapel
No. 13 Penn-Trafford at No. 4 Thomas Jefferson
No. 12 Kiski Area at No. 5 Peters Township
No. 15 Mars at No. 2 Franklin Regional
No. 10 Penn Hills at No. 7 Gateway
No. 14 Chartiers Valley at No. 3 Shaler
No. 11 Bethel Park at No. 6 South Fayette
Rebel says: This took a while with four strong section champions and not much separation between the second- and third-place finishers up and down the four sections. It’s not clear cut, but Moon gets the nod at the top thanks to a perfect record in the deepest 5A section. Franklin Regional earns the No. 2 spot thanks to a nonsection victory over Shaler, which is slotted at No. 3. With so much depth to this classification, it makes for some delicious opening-round matchups where several road teams could advance in the tournament. Don’t sleep on defending champion Penn Hills.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 16 Trinity/Woodland Hills winner at No. 1 Moon
No. 9 North Hills at No. 8 Fox Chapel
No. 13 Penn-Trafford at No. 4 Shaler
No. 12 Kiski Area at No. 5 Peters Township
No. 15 Mars at No. 2 Thomas Jefferson
No. 10 Penn Hills at No. 7 South Fayette
No. 14 Chartiers Valley at No. 3 Franklin Regional
No. 11 Bethel Park at No. 6 Gateway
Harlan says: Moon and Thomas Jefferson are the only undefeated section champions in Class 5A, so the Tigers and Jaguars get the edge here for the top seeds. The top four teams are all talented, so the WPIAL committee will need something to set the order. The head-to-head matchup between Franklin Regional and Shaler makes the three and four seeds easy to decide. Gateway is a curious team to seed. The Gators started strong with wins over Central Catholic and Franklin Regional, but stumbled down the stretch with five losses in nine games.
Class 4A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 16 Freeport at No. 1 Lincoln Park
No. 9 Belle Vernon at No. 8 South Allegheny
No. 13 Quaker Valley at No. 4 Uniontown
No. 12 Elizabeth Forward at No. 5 North Catholic
No. 15 Southmoreland at No. 2 Hampton
No. 10 Highlands at No. 7 Avonworth
No. 14 Central Valley at No. 3 Montour
No. 11 Beaver at No. 6 Knoch
Rebel says: Everybody wants to be on the right-hand side of the bracket, opposite of defending champion and prohibitive favorite Lincoln Park. Section champions Hampton and Montour get their wish. However, Uniontown is among those on the left side. Despite winning their first 14 games, the Red Raiders ended the season by going 4-3 in their final seven. North Catholic is the top team among the section runners-up, followed by a solid resume for Knoch and Avonworth. An underrated South Allegheny gets the nod for a home game over Section 4 runner-up Belle Vernon after beating the Leopards earlier this season.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 16 Freeport at No. 1 Lincoln Park
No. 9 Belle Vernon at No. 8 Knoch
No. 13 Central Valley at No. 4 Uniontown
No. 12 Elizabeth Forward at No. 5 North Catholic
No. 15 Quaker Valley at No. 2 Hampton
No. 10 Highlands at No. 7 South Allegheny
No. 14 Southmoreland at No. 3 Montour
No. 11 Beaver at No. 6 Avonworth
Harlan says: I show love for Section 4 here by giving home games to Montour (18-3), Avonworth (15-7) and South Allegheny (16-6). The Gladiators finished third in that section but had nonsection wins over playoff teams Central Catholic, Belle Vernon, Washington, Serra Catholic, Uniontown and Shady Side Academy.
Class 3A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 16 Beaver Falls at No. 1 Deer Lakes
No. 9 Ellwood City at No. 8 Washington
No. 13 Mt. Pleasant at No. 4 Neshannock
No. 12 South Park at No. 5 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
No. 15 Sto-Rox at No. 2 Mohawk
No. 14 McGuffey at No. 3 Shady Side Academy
No. 11 Derry at No. 6 Seton LaSalle
Rebel says: Following the Deer Lakes loss on Friday to Shady Side Academy, the top seed could be a debate. However, the defending champion Lancers are still the No. 1 seed to me. Co-champs in Sections 2 and 4 throw a big old monkey wrench into the bracket. Also finding quality wins wasn’t easy either, so second-place finishers Shady Side Academy and Neshannock jump the co-champs. A very dangerous team occupies the No. 9 spot in 2021 champion Ellwood City.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 16 Sto-Rox at No. 1 Deer Lakes
No. 9 Ellwood City at No. 8 Seton LaSalle
No. 13 Mt. Pleasant at No. 4 Neshannock
No. 15 McGuffey at No. 2 Mohawk
No. 10 Burrell at No. 7 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
No. 14 Beaver Falls at No. 3 Shady Side Academy
No. 11 South Park at No. 6 Washington
Harlan says: This was the toughest bracket to seed. Making it tricky were the two pairs of co-section champions: Yough/Washington and OLSH/Seton LaSalle. Yough gets a boost for having the WPIAL’s top scorer in Terek Crosby and a 10-game winning streak. OLSH and Seton LaSalle are traditionally two of the top teams in 3A, but it’s difficult to measure this year’s teams by their nonsection schedules.
Class 2A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 16 Nazareth Prep at No. 1 Aliquippa
No. 9 Jeannette at No. 8 Chartiers-Houston
No. 13 Clairton at No. 4 Bishop Canevin
No. 12 Winchester Thurston at No. 5 Fort Cherry
No. 15 Frazier at No. 2 Greensburg Central Catholic
No. 10 Serra Catholic at No. 7 Eden Christian Academy
No. 14 Sewickley Academy at No. 3 Northgate
No. 11 Burgettstown at No. 6 Shenango
Rebel says: Defending champion Aliquippa is the top seed with Greensburg Central Catholic earning the two seed. Then it becomes interesting. Outside of falling to the Quips twice, Northgate has only two losses, both to 6A teams. I have the 2023 district runner-up and the second-place team in Section 1 as the No. 3 seed, ahead of section winners Bishop Canevin and Fort Cherry. Despite a big loss Friday and a third-place Section 1 finish behind Aliquippa and Northgate, Shenango earns No. 6 with wins over Ellwood City, Union and Eden Christian.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 16 Nazareth Prep at No. 1 Aliquippa
No. 9 Shenango at No. 8 Chartiers-Houston
No. 13 Sewickley Academy at No. 4 Bishop Canevin
No. 12 Winchester Thurston at No. 5 Fort Cherry
No. 15 Frazier at No. 2 Greensburg Central Catholic
No. 10 Burgettstown at No. 7 Serra Catholic
No. 14 Clairton at No. 3 Northgate
No. 11 Eden Christian at No. 6 Jeannette
Harlan says: Serra Catholic is the third-place team that gets a boost in my bracket. The Eagles lost by two points to Greensburg Central Catholic in late January. No other section foe came within 20 of the Centurions this season. Northgate topped Bishop Canevin by 17 points last month, earning the Flames a No. 3 seed.
Class A
Don Rebel’s bracket
No. 1 Imani Christian – bye
No. 9 California at No. 8 Carlynton
No. 13 St. Joseph at No. 4 Monessen
No. 12 Avella at No. 5 Neighborhood Academy
No. 2 Rochester – bye
No. 10 Jefferson-Morgan at No. 7 Aquinas Academy
No. 14 Summit Academy at No. 3 Union
No. 11 Hillel Academy at No. 6 West Greene
Rebel says: Defending champion Imani Christian is a heavy favorite to repeat in Class A before climbing the ladder to 6A next season. The top two finishers in Section 1 grab the next two seeds with Rochester earning a bye at No. 2 followed by 2023 runner-up Union at No. 3. Section 2 champ Monessen is the fourth seed. All six teams from Section 3 qualified for the playoffs, including first-timer Hillel Academy along with St. Joe’s and Summit Academy. Those three combined for an overall record of 14-39, but they are all part of the February Frenzy.
Chris Harlan’s bracket
No. 1 Imani Christian – bye
No. 9 Carlynton at No. 8 California
No. 13 Summit Academy at No. 4 Monessen
No. 12 Hillel Academy at No. 5 Union
No. 2 Neighborhood Academy – bye
No. 10 Jefferson-Morgan at No. 7 Aquinas Academy
No. 14 St. Joseph at No. 3 Rochester
No. 11 Avella at No. 6 West Greene
Harlan says: The top two seeds should both come from Section 3. Imani Christian is the reigning champion. Neighborhood Academy has nonsection wins this winter over Rochester, 64-33, and Bishop Canevin, 72-58, along with a five-point loss to Class 6A contender Central Catholic. Section 1 champion Rochester is the three seed after defeating Union on Tuesday, and Section 2 champion Monessen is fourth.
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.
More High School Basketball
• WPIAL schedules eligibility hearing for Imani Christian all-state basketball player R.J. Sledge• 19 WPIAL players picked for 2024 all-state girls basketball team
• 23 WPIAL players picked to 2024 all-state boys basketball team, including 2 players of the year
• Hampton basketball readies for rare coaching search
• Hall of fame basketball coach Joe Lafko steps down at Hampton
