WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball breakdown

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, December 4, 2018 | 8:57 PM

Class 3A

Preseason Player of the Year

Keeno Holmes, Lincoln Park

6-3, Sr., guard

23.0 ppg last season

Players to watch

Tyreek Davis, Avonworth

6-2, Sr., F, 15.7 ppg

Isaac DeGregorio, North Catholic

5-10, Jr., G, 14.2 ppg

Dan Etheridge, Washington

6-4, Sr., F, 16.8 ppg

William Gipson, Aliquippa

6-4, Sr., G, 13.6 ppg

Isaiah Smith, Lincoln Park

6-0, Jr., G, 16.0 ppg

Preseason Top 5

1. Lincoln Park (20-7 last season)

The reigning WPIAL champion Leopards return three starters: Holmes and forwards Tanner Mathos and Andre Wilder. Isaiah Smith, a junior guard, who transferred from Sewickley Academy, also will bolster the lineup.

2. Aliquippa (17-8)

Twelve seniors return for the Quips, who finished third in the WPIAL after losing to Lincoln Park, 59-57, in the semifinals last season. The group includes Gipson, a Pitt football recruit whose team is playing in the state title game this weekend.

3. North Catholic (13-13)

North Catholic is under new leadership, as Dave DeGregorio takes over on the bench. He is joined by sons Isaac and Owen. Isaac was an all-section guard last season at Hampton. The Trojans finished fourth in the WPIAL last season and reached the PIAA playoffs.

4. Seton LaSalle (20-7)

WPIAL runners-up a year ago, the Rebels were hit hard by graduation, including Jakob Richardson (16.0 ppg) and George Mike (13.0 ppg), who were all-section selections. They averaged 62.4 points en route to the Section 2 title.

5. Washington (18-6)

Washington breezed to a 12-0 mark in Section 4 last season. Back is Etheridge, an all-section performer last year for the Little Prexies, who reached the WPIAL quarterfinals and PIAA playoffs. They graduated just two seniors.

Notable

• WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball again has four sections but has moved from 25 teams to 28.

• Beaver Falls, Deer Lakes, Keystone Oaks and Valley dropped from 4A.

• Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Burgettstown, Mohawk and South Side dropped to Class 2A.

• Fort Cherry, Frazier and Neshannock moved from Class 2A.

• Beaver Falls moved down to Class 3A after going 6-15 last season. The Tigers return senior guards Gage McKelvey and Jalen Vaughn.

• Frazier returns all-section forward Justin Novak, who averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds in Class 2A last year.

• Thomas Melonja, a senior forward who played a Lincoln Park last season, transferred to Peters Township.

Alignment

Section 1: Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Lincoln Park, Neshannock, New Brighton, Riverside

Section 2: Avonworth, Carlynton, Freedom, Fort Cherry, Keystone Oaks, North Catholic, Seton LaSalle

Section 3: Burrell, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, Steel Valley, Valley

Section 4: Beth-Center, Brownsville, Charleroi, Frazier, McGuffey, Southmoreland, Washington

— Bill Hartlep

Bill Hartlep is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bhartlep@tribweb.com or via Twitter @TribHSInsider.

Tags: Aliquippa, Avonworth, Lincoln Park, Washington