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Photo Credit: @lebohoops

by: Don Rebel

CLASS 6A BOYS TEAMS SET FOR QUARTERFINAL CLASH

It’s the middle of three nights of the district basketball quarterfinals with the spotlight shining on the elite eight of boys 6A.

Upper St. Clair is the defending WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball champion, however prior to the Panthers taking home the gold last winter, the highest classification’s two previous champions were Fox Chapel and Central Catholic.

The Foxes won their second district crown in 2022 when they upset top-seeded North Hills in the Class 6A title game, 43-36.

The following season, the Vikings captured their second WPIAL boys hoops championship by upending New Castle in the finals, 61-52.

Now these former section foes battle in a 6A quarterfinals contest Thursday when No. 4 Fox Chapel (16-6) hosts No. 5 Central Catholic (13-9) at 8 p.m. in a game you can listen to on Trib HSSN.

The last time these two teams met in the WPIAL basketball playoffs was in the semifinals of the 2022 6A playoffs with the Foxes edging the Vikings, 37-32, on their way to district gold.

Fox Chapel finished in second place in Section 1-6A this season, one game behind New Castle.

The Foxes defeated 4A power Avonworth to end the regular season as they won five of their last seven games.

Central Catholic ended up in third place in Section 2, three games behind section champ Upper St. Clair and one game in back of second place Imani Christian.

The Vikings ended the regular season with an overtime loss to Imani Christian, followed by back-to-back nonsection losses to Erie and North Catholic.

Of the three other 6A quarterfinals games on Thursday, two of them mark the third meeting between section foes from earlier this season.

From Section 1-6A, No. 7 Butler (16-6) travels to No. 2 New Castle (19-3) at 7 p.m. in a game that can be heard on Trib HSSN. Junior Andrew Gettinger scored 17 points for the Golden Tornado in the first round as they defeated North Hills, 71-54, while the Red Hurricanes enjoyed a first round bye. In the regular season, New Castle swept the two games from Butler, winning on the road, 62-60, and claiming victory at home in late January, 69-46.

From Section 2-6A, No. 3 Imani Christian Academy (13-7) will battle No. 6 Mt. Lebanon (16-7) at Montour at 7:30 p.m. The Saints earned a first round bye while the Blue Devils won big at home over Norwin, 61-34, thanks to 24 points from senior Sam Deibert. In the regular season, the two teams split, with Imani Christian winning at home in early January, 79-65, and Mt. Lebanon picking up a victory at home in early February, 73-61.

Top-seeded Upper St. Clair (20-2) will officially open its title defense when it welcomes No. 9 Woodland Hills (12-11) to the den for a 7 p.m. tip that can be heard on Trib HSSN. The Panthers enjoyed a first round bye after winning the Section 2-6A title outright by two games. USC has won two straight games and 15 of its last 16. The Wolverines are coming off a road win in the first round of the district playoffs Monday at Seneca Valley, 43-32. Junior Landon Akins led Woody High with 15 points in the team’s fifth consecutive win.