PIAA 5A Championship: Franklin Regional vs. Imhotep Charter

BOYS BASKETBALL

PIAA 5A CHAMPIONSHIP

(7-2) Franklin Regional (27-3) vs. (12-1) Imhotep Charter (28-3) – FRIDAY, 8 PM, GIANT CENTER

FRANKLIN REGIONAL

Head Coach: Jesse Reed (3rd season)

State Championships: 0

WPIAL PLAYOFFS

def. #15 Mars (67-50), def. #7 Gateway (53-35), def. #3 Shaler (69-40), lost to #1 Moon (53-48) in WPIAL Championship

STATE PLAYOFFS

def. 3-6 Warwick (68-53), def. 4-1 Selinsgrove (56-45), def. 7-3 Shaler (63-51), def. 7-1 Moon 60-43

First state championship appearance since 1997

Head Coach Jesse Reed lost to Imhotep Charter as a player in the 2011 state championship

IMHOTEP CHARTER

Head Coach: Andre Noble (won 500th game in state semifinals)

State Championships: 9 (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)

DISTRICT 12 PLAYOFFS

def. Murrell Dobbins Vo-Tech (65-31), def. String Theory (81-24), def. West Philadelphia (73-59), def. Abraham Lincoln (75-57), def. Math, Civics & Sciences (49-39), def. Archbishop Ryan (62-47) in District 12 Championship

STATE PLAYOFFS

def. 1-6 Pottstown (64-46), def. 3-5 Exeter Twp. (83-40), def. 2-1 Abington Heights (56-46), def. 12-2 Archbishop Ryan (52-48)

Ranked #21 in the country by USA Today

Ahmad Noweli – 37th ranked player in the country, Connecticut commit

Ma’Kye Taylor – Albany commit

Has won 4 straight Philadelphia Public League championships

Looking for 3rd straight state championship and 10th since 2009

PIAA Semifinals: Franklin Regional avenges WPIAL Championship Loss

In the WPIAL Championship, Franklin Regional had a double digit lead in the second half only to see Moon storm back and claim WPIAL gold. Things got eerily similar on Monday night when Franklin Regional jumped out to 15 points lead after a quarter of play only to see it disappear by halftime.

In the second half though, Franklin Regional would not let history repeat itself and they were able to regroup in the locker room and jumped all over the Tigers outscoring Moon 16-5 in the third quarter, and led 41-33 going into the fourth. Moon scored 23 points in the second quarter, but were held to just 15 points in the second half.

Franklin Regional advances to their second state championship appearance in program history, the only other appearance was in 1997 when the Panthers fell 50-45 to Plymouth Whitemarsh. The Panthers will face off with Imhotep Charter, out of Philadelphia, at 8 pm on Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey. Franklin Regional head coach Jesse Reed lost to Imhotep Charter as a player in the state championship in 2011.

Moon – 5 23 5 10 – 43

Franklin Regional – 17 8 16 19 – 60

Moon (26-4)

Elijah Guillory – 15 points

Aiden Reesman – 10 points

Franklin Regional (27-3)

Cam Rowell – 17 points

Cooper Rankin – 12 points

Fin Hutchinson – 11 points

Colin Masten – 11 points

Weekend Recap: PIAA Quarterfinals

Photo Credit: @MoonTigersBB

FRIDAY

BOYS BASKETBALL

PIAA 5A QUARTERFINALS

(7-1) Moon 67, (7-6) Bethel Park 51

Moon (26-3)

Aiden Reesman – 26 points

Elijah Guillory – 12 points

Bethel Park (15-14)

Mike Mathias – 17 points

Nick Brown – 10 points

(7-2) Franklin Regional 63, (7-3) Shaler 51

Franklin Regional (26-3)

Cooper Rankin – 23 points

Cam Rowell – 16 points

Shaler (25-4)

Brandon London – 26 points

GIRLS BASKETBALL

PIAA 6A QUARTERFINALS

(7-1) Norwin 60, (1-2) Spring-Ford 47

Norwin (23-4)

Kendall Berger – 20 poitns

Ava Kobus – 11 points

SATURDAY

BOYS BASKETBALL

PIAA 6A QUARTERFINALS

(3-5) Central York 71, (7-1) Upper St. Clair 60

Upper St. Clair (22-6)

Tyler Robbins – 16 points

Peja Strobl – 14 points

Brett Meinert – 12 points

Christian Ito – 10 points

GIRLS BASKETBALL

PIAA 5A QUARTERFINALS

(7-3) McKeesport 57, (7-2) Armstrong 35

McKeesport (24-4)

Rachael Manfredo – 22 points

Brooke Evans – 10 points

Armstrong (23-6)

Emma Paul – 15 points

(10-1) Cathedral Prep 39, (7-4) Oakland Catholic 29

Oakland Catholic (26-3)

Mia LeDonne – 11 points

What’s coming up: 2/15/24

Photo Credit: @MoonTigersBB

by: Don Rebel

The WPIAL had dominated boys 5A through two rounds.

All four teams in the “western” semifinals are from District 7.

There is little surprise that section champions Moon, Franklin Regional and Shaler have reached the third round of the state playoffs. Those three teams have a combined overall record of 75-9 with each owning a record of 25-3.

If there is a darkhorse in the chase for gold, it’s the Black Hawks.

Bethel Park finished in third place in Section 1, four games behind champion Thomas Jefferson. The Hawks’ longest win streak was six in a row and their longest losing skid was four straight.

Bethel Park brings an overall record of 15-13 into its game against WPIAL champion Moon on Friday at Chartiers Valley at 7 p.m.

The game will be a battle of styles.

Moon has size and speed and likes to get up and down the floor, averaging 62.3 points per game.

Bethel Park likes a slower, half-court pace in which they grind out wins. In six playoff games, the Black Hawks have averaged 43 points per game.

The other PIAA quarterfinal on the western side of the bracket is a rematch of a WPIAL semifinal as Franklin Regional faces Shaler at Gateway at 7:30 p.m.

In that district final four matchup, the Panther jumped all over the Titans in the opening quarter and led after one, 17-5.

After Shaler closed the gap to 10 points by halftime, Franklin Regional again came out of the locker room flying and put the game away by outscoring the Titans 16-7 in the third quarter to cruise to a 28-point win, 68-40.

Fin Hutchinson scored 16 points and Connor Crossey added 14 for the Panthers while Keegan Smetanka had 15 points for the Titans.

The teams also met in the regular season with Franklin Regional beating visiting Shaler in January, 72-62.

LONELY KNIGHTS

Entering the second round of the PIAA playoffs Tuesday, Norwin was one of four WPIAL teams alive for state gold after all four District 7 teams in 6A girls were perfect in the opening round.

However, following second-round losses by Chartiers ValleyPeters Township and North Allegheny, the Knights are all alone from the WPIAL in the 6A bracket.

Friday, Norwin (23-3) heads east to square off with Spring-Ford (23-5) at State College at 6:30 p.m.

Spring-Ford is one of four teams out of eight remaining in the highest classification from District 1.

The Rams lost to Perkiomen Valley in the D-1 finals, but rebounded with state playoff wins over Northeastern York by 34 points and Peters Township by 21 points.

Norwin has won 14 straight games.

The Knights-Rams victor will take on the winner of Lansdale North Penn (24-4) against Garnet Valley (23-5) at Bensalem at 7 p.m.

North Penn eliminated North Allegheny in the second round, 56-54 in overtime.

Recap: PIAA Second Round, Day 2

BOYS BASKETBALL

PIAA 6A SECOND ROUND

(7-1) Upper St. Clair 63, (6-1) State College 43

Upper St. Clair embraces the madness, avenges loss to State College

GIRLS BASKETBALL

(7-4) Oakland Catholic 48, (7-1) South Fayette 28

Oakland Catholic makes statement without injured star, drops WPIAL champ South Fayette

(7-2) Armstrong 54, (6-1) Hollidaysburg 39

Armstrong (23-5)

Emma Paul – 30 points

Kyla Fitzgerald – 13 points

(7-3) McKeesport 48, (7-7) Indiana 27

McKeesport (23-4)

Madison Miller – 13 points

Rachael Manfredo – 12 points

Indiana (20-8)

Bella Antonacci – 10 points

Recap: PIAA Second Round, Day 1

Photo Credit: @MoonTigersBB

BOYS BASKETBALL

PIAA 5A SECOND ROUND

(7-1) Moon 59, (3-3) York Suburban 38

Moon (25-3)

Elijah Guillory – 18 points

Aiden Reesman – 12 points

Charlie Depner – 11 points

(7-2) Franklin Regional 56, (4-1) Selinsgrove 45

Colin Masten gets to rim, helps Franklin Regional to PIAA 5A quarterfinals

(7-3) Shaler 68, (3-1) Mechanicsburg 48

Shaler (25-3)

Julian Vizzoca – 16 points

Kaden Orga – 16 points

Brandon London – 14 points

(7-6) Bethel Park 48, (7-5) Fox Chapel 43

Bethel Park rallies in 2nd half to defeat Fox Chapel, reach PIAA 5A quarterfinals

GIRLS BASKETBALL

PIAA 6A SECOND ROUND

(7-1) Norwin 56, (7-4) Chartiers Valley 47

Norwin takes punch from Chartiers Valley, rallies to reach PIAA 6A quarterfinals

(1-4) North Penn 56, (7-2) North Allegheny 54 (OT)

North Allegheny (23-4)

Lydia Betz – 21 points

Caroline Henderson – 19 points (3 three-pointers)

(1-2) Spring-Ford 74, (7-3) Peters Township 53

Peters Township (24-3)

Gemma Walker – 24 points

Natalie Wetzel – 14 points

PIAA sets sites and times for Second Round

BOYS BASKETBALL

PIAA 6A SECOND ROUND

Wednesday, March 13

(6-1) State College (13-12) vs. (7-1) Upper St. Clair (21-5) at Pitt-Johnstown – 5:30 pm

PIAA 5A SECOND ROUND

Tuesday, March 12

(7-1) Moon (24-3) vs. (3-3) York Suburban (21-6) at Hollidaysburg HS – 6 pm

4-1 Selinsgrove (18-7) vs. (7-2) Franklin Regional (24-3) at Altoona HS – 7:30 pm

3-1 Mechanicsburg (21-5) vs. (7-3) Shaler (24-3) at Altoona HS – 6 pm

(7-6) Bethel Park (14-13) vs. (7-5) Fox Chapel (16-11) at Peters Township HS – 7:30 pm

GIRLS BASKETBALL

PIAA 6A SECOND ROUND

Tuesday, March 12

(7-4) Chartiers Valley (17-8) vs. (7-1) Norwin (22-3) at Peters Township HS – 6 pm

(7-2) North Allegheny (23-3) vs. (1-4) North Penn (23-4) at Bald Eagle Area HS – 7 pm

(1-2) Spring-Ford (22-5) vs. (7-3) Peters Township (24-2) at Bald Eagle Area HS – 5:30 pm

PIAA 5A SECOND ROUND

Wednesday, March 13

(7-1) South Fayette (19-8) vs. (7-4) Oakland Catholic (25-2) at Peters Township HS – 6 pm

(6-1) Holldaysburg (23-3) vs. (7-2) Armstrong (22-5) at Pitt-Johnstown – 7 pm

(7-3) McKeesport (22-4) vs. (7-7) Indiana (20-7) at Gateway HS – 7:30 pm

Fox Chapel named Trib HSSN team of the week

by: Don Rebel

Trib HSSN boys basketball team of the week: Fox Chapel Foxes

Coach: Zach Skrinjar (15th season)

Record: 7-3 in Section 2-5A, 16-11 overall

For complete story and interview, click here.

Weekend Recap: PIAA First Round

Photo Credit: @MoonTigersBB

FRIDAY

BOYS BASKETBALL

PIAA 5A FIRST ROUND

7-1 Moon 52, 8-1 Obama Academy 34

Moon shakes off WPIAL championship malaise to get past Obama Academy

7-2 Franklin Regional 68, 3-6 Warwick 53

Franklin Regional hits key shots in 4th quarter, takes care of Warwick in PIAA 1st round

7-3 Shaler 73, 3-4 Greencastle-Antrim 58

Shaler (24-3)

Keegan Smetanka – 21 points

Kaden Orga – 13 points

Brandon London – 13 points

3-3 York Suburban 52, 7-4 Thomas Jefferson 48

Thomas Jefferson (21-5)

Evan Berger – 16 points

Noah Prosser – 12 points

Nicholas Trklja – 10 points

7-5 Fox Chapel 57, 10-1 Cathedral Prep 52

Asher White – 23 points (5 three-pointers_

Jefferson Moorefield-Brown – 19 points

Will Siegel – 13 rebounds

7-6 Bethel Park 59, 3-2 Hershey 45

Bethel Park (14-13)

Michael Mathias – 22 points (6 three-pointers)

Shawn Davis – 20 points

3-1 Mechanicsburg 60, 7-7 Gateway 52

Gateway (18-9)

Chase Yanoski – 33 points

GIRLS BASKETBALL

PIAA 6A FIRST ROUND

7-1 Norwin 54, 3-7 William Penn 29

WPIAL champion Norwin girls run away from York William Penn in PIAA opener

7-2 North Allegheny 57, 10-1 Erie 23

North Allegheny (23-3)

Caroline Henderson – 19 points

Kellie McConnell – 11 points

Grace Heliger – 11 points

7-3 Peters Township 69, 3-3 Lebanon 49

Peters Township (24-2)

Gemma Walker – 30 points

Natalie Wetzel – 21 points

7-4 Chartiers Valley 44, 6-1 Altoona 43

Chartiers Valley (17-8)

Lilah Turnbull – 18 points

Emma Reynolds – 15 points

SATURDAY

BOYS BASKETBALL

PIAA 6A FIRST ROUND

7-1 Upper St. Clair 57, 3-7 Central Dauphin 53

Upper St. Clair stages furious rally to get past Central Dauphin in PIAA 1st round

10-1 McDowell 61, 7-2 Baldwin 45

Untimely scoring slumps end Baldwin’s historic season with PIAA loss to McDowell

6-1 State College 65, 7-3 Mt. Lebanon 58 (3OT)

Mt. Lebanon (20-6)

Nate Girod – 22 points (6 three-pointers)

Riley Farabaugh – 16 points

GIRLS BASKETBALL

PIAA 5A FIRST ROUND

7-1 South Fayette 48, 3-8 Red Land 20

South Fayette (19-8)

Erica Hall – 14 points

Juliette Leroux – 12 points

Lainey Yater – 10 points

*outscored Red Land 19-0 in second quarter

7-2 Armstrong 44, 3-5 Palmyra 33

Armstrong (22-5)

Emma Paul – 19 points

7-3 McKeesport 61, 3-4 West York 32

McKeesport (22-4)

Rachael Manfredo – 19 points

Maddie Hertzler – 14 points

Brooke Evans – 10 points

7-4 Oakland Catholic 50, 3-3 Susquehanna Township 34

Oakland Catholic (25-2)

Mia LeDonne – 15 points

Kaylee DeAngelo – 13 points

Alayla Bivins – 12 points (buzzer-beater in the third quarter)

Josie Fontana – 10 points

10-1 Cathedral Prep 53, 7-5 Trinity 29

Trinity (20-7)

Sutton Williamson – 10 points

3-2 Northern York 53, 7-6 Lincoln Park 49

7-7 Indiana 33, 3-1 York Suburban 32

Indiana (20-7)

Bella Antonacci – 16 points (clutch free throws late)

Addy Hutton – hit clutch free throws in the final moments

*first state playoff win since 2010

Upper St. Clair named Trib HSSN boys basketball team of the week

by: Don Rebel

Trib HSSN boys basketball team of the week: Upper St. Clair Panthers

Coach: Danny Holzer (29th season)

Record: 8-2 in Section 2-6A, 20-5 overall

For complete story and interview, click here.