WPIAL clinched: Boys basketball playoff field set with 85 teams

By: Don Rebel
Friday, February 7, 2025 | 11:16 PM

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The stretch run is over and the WPIAL boys basketball playoff field is set with 85 district teams set to begin the Path to the Pete.

A change in the playoff format this season has sections with eight or more teams sending the top five teams to the playoffs while sections with seven or fewer schools will send the traditional top four teams.

If two or more teams tied for the final playoff spot and the head-to-head tiebreaker did not break the tie, all of the tied teams qualified.

The WPIAL will release the boys basketball brackets Monday with the Playoff Pairings Show at 3 p.m. on Trib HSSN.

Here is the final list of teams that earned a district playoff berth through the end of section play Friday.

*Won or shared section championship

Class 6A

Set with 11 teams – Five first-round byes

Section 1

*New Castle Red Hurricanes

Fox Chapel Foxes

Butler Golden Tornado

Seneca Valley Raiders

Woodland Hills Wolverines

North Hills Indians

Section 2

*Upper St. Clair Panthers

Imani Christian Saints

Central Catholic Vikings

Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils

Norwin Knights

Class 5A

Set with 17 teams – One preliminary-round game

Section 1

*Uniontown Red Raiders

Latrobe Wildcats

Gateway Gators

Penn-Trafford Warriors

Franklin Regional Panthers

Section 2

*Kiski Area Cavaliers

Penn Hills Indians

Hampton Talbots

Indiana Little Indians

(Shaler tied for fourth place but lost head-to-head tiebreaker with Indiana)

Section 3

*Baldwin Highlanders

Peters Township Indians

South Fayette Lions

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Section 4

*Montour Spartans

Chartiers Valley Colts

Moon Tigers

Mars Fightin’ Planets

Class 4A

Set with 12 teams – Four first-round byes

Section 1

*North Catholic Trojans

Knoch Knights

Deer Lakes Lancers

Highlands Golden Rams

Section 2

*Beaver Bobcats

*Avonworth Antelopes

Central Valley Warriors

Quaker Valley Quakers

Section 3

*Belle Vernon Leopards

Elizabeth Forward Warriors

Derry Trojans

West Mifflin Titans

Class 3A

Set with playoff teams – no byes or preliminary-round games

Section 1

*Aliquippa Quips

Mohawk Warriors

Ellwood City Wolverines

New Brighton Lions

Section 2

*Bishop Canevin Crusaders

Keystone Oaks Golden Eagles

McGuffey Highlanders

Carlynton Cougars

Section 3

*South Allegheny Gladiators

South Park Eagles

Shady Side Academy Bulldogs

Seton LaSalle Rebels

Section 4

*Southmoreland Scotties

Ligonier Valley Rams

Waynesburg Raiders

Charleroi Cougars

Class 2A

Set with 21 teams – Five preliminary-round games

Section 1

*Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Jeannette Jayhawks

Clairton Bears

Springdale Dynamos

Bentworth Bearcats

Section 2

*Sewickley Academy Panthers

Northgate Flames

Winchester Thurston Bears

Brentwood Spartans

Eden Christian Academy Warriors

Section 3

*Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers

Jefferson-Morgan Rockets

Fort Cherry Rangers

West Greene Pioneers

Beth-Center Bulldogs

Section 4

*Neshannock Lancers

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers

Union Scotties

Shenango Wildcats

Laurel Spartans

South Side Rams

Class A

Set with eight teams – All eight receive first-round byes

Section 1

*Nazareth Prep Saints

Aquinas Academy Crusaders

Summit Academy Knights

Beaver County Christina Eagles

Section 2

*Neighborhood Academy Bulldogs

Serra Catholic Eagles

Monessen Greyhounds

Geibel Catholic Gators