WPIAL basketball playoffs continue Monday with first-round games

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, February 16, 2020 | 8:37 PM

West Allegheny scrambled last season to make the WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball playoffs and was seeded No. 13 in a 13-team playoff field.

The Indians put a scare into No. 4 Woodland Hills before the Wolverines pulled away and advanced to the quarterfinals.

Fast forward a year, and once again, West A had to finish strong to qualify for the postseason.

The Indians won four of five to earn a tie with Montour and Trinity for fourth place in Section 2. West Allegheny won the tiebreaker and earned the No. 12 seed in the 12-team bracket.

The Indians face No. 5 McKeesport on Monday at North Allegheny.

The game features two of the top scorers in the classification in senior Jackson Faulk of West Allegheny and senior Deamontae Diggs of McKeesport.

Ready for prime time?

Every team wants to finish the regular season strong and carry momentum into the postseason.

Two Class 5A teams with no momentum heading into the first round Monday are No. 7 Shaler and No. 9 Hampton.

The Titans lost six of eight heading into their playoff opener against Gateway.

The Talbots dropped four of their last six, and they face Laurel Highlands in Round 1.

Class 4A fray

Quaker Valley was the No. 13 seed in a 13-team Class 4A girls basketball playoff tournament last season, but the Quakers stunned Freeport, 41-38, for a trip to the quarterfinals.

QV’s run ended in Round 2 with an eight-point loss to Elizabeth Forward.

A trip to the second round would not be as surprising this season as Quaker Valley is a No. 8 seed.

The Quakers open the postseason Monday against West Mifflin.

Tags: Gateway, Hampton, Laurel Highlands, McKeesport, Quaker Valley, Shaler, West Allegheny, West Mifflin