News

Photo Credit: North Allegheny Sports Network

by: Don Rebel

Here are the playoff openers in the 6A bracket:

• No. 1 Mt. Lebanon (18-4) hosts No. 8 Pine-Richland (7-15) in a battle between the 2019 and 2017 champs. The visiting Blue Devils defeated the Rams on Dec. 8, 54-39. You can watch the game on Trib HSSN at 8 p.m.

• No. 5 North Allegheny (11-11) visits No. 4 Baldwin (16-6) at 7 p.m. in a game you can listen to on Trib HSSN. The Tigers have won five of their last six games while the Highlanders, looking for their first playoff win since 2003, had won four straight before losing their final two games of the regular season.

• No. 2 and defending champion Central Catholic (14-8) will face No. 7 Canon-McMillan (10-12) at Gateway at 7 p.m. The Vikings won their last three games heading into the postseason while the Big Macs split their last four games.

• No. 3 Upper St. Clair (17-5) welcomes No. 6 Butler (16-6) at 7 p.m. on Trib HSSN. Since losing to Mt. Lebanon, the Panthers won their final four contests while the Golden Tornado dropped three of their final four games.

LET’S NOT WAIT ANOTHER 45 YEARS

One of the great stories of this district postseason is that of the North Hills girls basketball playoff drought finally coming to an end.

The Indians program had not won a WPIAL postseason game since the 1979 semifinals that sent the team to the title game at the old Civic Arena in Pittsburgh.

North Hills rolled past Plum, 69-40, to earn its historic win. Junior Gia Minton led the Indians with 17 points.

For them to build their playoff win streak, though, it will take a monumental upset as they prepare to face top-seeded Oakland Catholic.

The Eagles have been flying high over all others all season, winning each of their 23 games.

In the opening round, Oakland Catholic fought their way past a gutsy Penn Hills team, 55-48.

Junior sensation London Creach scored a game-high 17 points for the Eagles.

Tipoff is set for Fox Chapel HS at 6 p.m. and can be seen on Trib HSSN.

The other three 5A girls basketball second-round games are:

• No. 4 Lincoln Park (21-2), co-champ of Section 4, faces Section 2 winner and No. 5 Armstrong(19-4) at North Allegheny at 6 p.m. The Leopards got a scare and needed a Sarah Scott layup at the buzzer to edge Penn-Trafford, 43-42, in the opening round. The River Hawks knocked off Latrobe in the first round, 51-40, as senior Emma Paul led the way with 20 points.

• No. 2 McKeesport (19-3) will go up against No. 7 Indiana (18-5) at Highlands at 6 p.m. The Tigers also had a scare in their playoff opener but edged Hampton, 49-46. Senior Rachel Manfredo led the Tigers with 14 points. Senior Bella Antonacci had 18 points as the Little Indians ousted Moon, 43-34, in the opening round.

• No. 3 Trinity (18-5) gets a third crack at a familiar foe when it plays No. 6 South Fayette (15-8) at Peters Township at 6 p.m. It wasn’t easy, but the Hillers eliminated Woodland Hills in the opener, 59-54, as senior Maddy Roberts scored 17 points. The two-time defending champion Lions cruised past Mars in the first round, 55-36. Sophomore Haylie Lamonde scored 24 points to lead SF. Trinity won both regular season games between the Section 4 rivals, beating South Fayette in overtime in the first meeting, 64-57, before winning at home late in the season, 52-46.