WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball preview: OLSH vs. Serra Catholic

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, March 1, 2019 | 1:54 PM

Class 2A boys

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (21-2) vs. Serra Catholic (20-3)

5 p.m. Friday, Petersen Events Center

Starting lineups

No. 1 OLSH (21-2)

Coach: Mike Rodriguez

No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr.

1 Ricco Tate, F, 6-3, Sr.

11 Dante Spadafora, G, 5-11, So.

13 Daren DiMichele, G, 6-1, Sr.

24 Austin Wigley, F, 6-2, Sr.

31 Jake DiMichele, G, 6-2, Fr.

No. 2 Serra Catholic (20-3)

Coach: Justin Walther

No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr.

1 Chris Salemi, G, 6-0, Sr.

2 Bernard Lawson, C, 6-5, Sr.

3 Khalil Smith, G, 5-10, Sr.

5 Jimmy Moon, F, 6-9, Sr.

11 Jayden Bristol, G, 5-8, Jr.

Title-game history: OLSH, the WPIAL runner-up in 2018 and ’17, has reached the finals five times but still seeks its first WPIAL title. The Chargers lost to Sewickley Academy the past two seasons. They also were runners-up in 1999, ‘94 and ’92 – losing all three to Duquesne. Serra Catholic seeks its second WPIAL titles. The Eagles won in 2008 and were three-time runners-up (2009, 1991, ’82).

Stat leaders: O: D. DiMichele 17.0; SC: Moon 27.4, Smith 15.3

Notable: OLSH finished as WPIAL and PIAA runner-up last season. The Chargers averaged 75.6 points per game, second in the WPIAL behind only Pine-Richland (78.6). Serra Catholic averages 72.2. OLSH defeated South Side, 70-55, in the semifinals. Wigley led with 20 points and Daren DiMichele added 17. Serra Catholic has won 19 of its past 20 games, with a 72-66 loss to Class 5A semifinalist Penn Hills its only blemish. The Eagles defeated Sewickley Academy, 57-49, in the semifinals. Moon finished third among WPIAL scorers behind only Butler’s Ethan Morton (27.4) and Woodland Hills’ Keandre Bowles (29.3).

Predicted winner: OLSH

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.

Tags: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart