What’s coming up: 1/26/24

Posted on: by Big 56 Conference

Photo Credit: @lebohoops

by: Don Rebel

THRICE AS NICE

Coming into Friday’s district boys basketball action, there are five sections where two teams are tied for first place.

However, there is a Class 6A section where three teams are deadlocked for the top spot.

Section 2-6A has Baldwin, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair on top with 4-1 section records.

Two of them collide when the Highlanders visits the Blue Devils.

Baldwin is 12-3 overall and has won five straight games, including a huge 55-54 win at Upper St. Clair last week to force the three-way tie.

Mt. Lebanon has an overall record of 13-3. The Blue Devils won their first eight games this season and have won three of their last four and five of their last seven games.

Upper St. Clair is 11-4 this season and will host Hempfield (0-5, 4-13) on Friday.

In the first meeting earlier this month, the Blue Devils won big over the host Highlanders, 73-50.

Sophomore Liam Sheely scored 30 points for Mt. Lebanon while junior Caden Chrico scored 15 points to lead Baldwin.

That same night, visiting Upper St. Clair defeated Hempfield, 57-25 as Christian Ito scored 16 points for the Panthers.

Both games can be seen on Trib HSSN with Hempfield — USC at 7 p.m. and Baldwin-Lebo at 7:30 p.m.

DEFENSE ANYONE?

On Thursday, Moon defeated South Fayette, 58-49, to open a two-game lead in Section 4-5A.

Now, Thomas Jefferson will try to do the same thing when it visits Peters Township in a Section 1-5A showdown between the two top teams.

The Jaguars are a perfect 5-0 in the section and 12-3 overall; however, they had their eight-game winning streak snapped Tuesday in a nonsection home loss to South Fayette, 71-56.

The Indians are 4-1 in the section. The 2023 5A runners-up have won six straight games and are 12-4 this season.

Thomas Jefferson won the first game between the two at home, 90-74.

TJ was led by senior Evan Berger’s 24 points while Jack Dunbar had 21 points for PT.

The 164 points scored in that first meeting is offensively impressive, but it pales in comparison to the meeting between the Jaguars and Indians at Peters Township a year ago.

In a game of the year candidate, Thomas Jefferson outlasted Peters Township 105-100 in triple overtime.

Berger had 43 points for the Jaguars while Dunbar scored 37 points for the Indians.