Friday was supposed to be the final day of section play for area high school basketball teams but tricky road conditions and cancelled classes changed that. With the re-scheduling to Saturday, there were six potential additions to the brackets, five on the boys side. West Allegheny boys are the only team that joined the playoff fields as a result of Saturday’s action.
Boys 5A: Trinity lost at South Fayette, 77-63, eliminating the Hillers from contention. Trinity dropped into a three-way tie for fourth with West Allegheny and Montour. WA won three of its four games against the other two, including both matchups with Trinity. With that, the Indians clinch the final playoff berth out of 5A Section 2. Also in 5A, Woodland Hills hopes of making the playoffs ended when Gateway edged McKeesport, 56-53, Saturday afternoon.
Boys 2A: Chartiers-Houston beat Carmichaels, 78-61, but was bumped from contention when California beat Bentworth 72-44. The Trojans had already clinched a berth in 2A Section 2. Also in 2A, South Side Beaver qualified when Our Lady of the Sacred Heart beat Sewickley Academy, 81-41.
Boys 4A: Central Valley was eliminated from the race when New Castle beat Ambridge Saturday night.
Girls 3A: Neshannock needed to beat Avonworth to reach the playoffs but lost to the Antelopes, 49-28.
The WPIAL Basketball Committee meets Monday to work out the pairings and the League will announce those, along with sites, dates and times Tuesday. We’ll have the WPIAL Playoff Pairing Show live Tuesday, 7 pm, on WJPA-AM (1450). Listen Here