2024 WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball championship breakdown: Aliquippa vs. Greensburg C.C.

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, March 1, 2024 | 12:00 PM

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WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball championship

No. 1 Aliquippa vs. No. 2 Greensburg Central Catholic

1 p.m. Saturday at Petersen Events Center

On the air: Video livestream: NFHS Network

WPIAL titles: GCC 0; Aliquippa 13 (2023, ’16, ’15, ’07, ’06, ’04, ’03, ’00, 1998, ’94, ’88, ’87, ’49)

Aliquippa (20-5)

Coach: Nick Lackovich

Projected starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Cl., Pos.

1, Brandon Banks, 6-0, sr., G

4, Josh Pratt, 6-1, so., G

5, Quentin Goode, 5-10, sr., G

14, Qalil Goode, 6-1, so., G

23, Cam Lindsey, 6-3, sr., C/F

How they got here: Defeated Nazareth Prep, 70-57, in the first round; Serra Catholic, 76-50, in the quarterfinals; and Fort Cherry, 55-36, in the semifinals.

Notable: Defending champion Aliquippa will chase WPIAL title No. 14, which would tie New Castle for the most in league history. The Quips, who are 13-0 against WPIAL 2A teams, defeated No. 4 Fort Cherry, 55-36, in the semifinals. Joshua Pratt had 16 points, and Cam Lindsey, a Pitt football commit, added 14 as the Quips held the Rangers to single digits in three quarters. Aliquippa plays in the same section as Northgate and defeated the Flames, 55-50 and 58-39. The Quips also took down Serra Catholic, one of GCC’s section opponents, 76-50 in the quarterfinals. They have yet to play a team from Westmoreland County this season. Senior Quintin Goode and Lindsey are two of the most successful athletes in school history as multi-time champions in football and basketball. Goode had a game-high 24 points against GCC last year when the Quips limited standout forward Franco Alvarez to two points. Turner scored 22 for GCC.

Greensburg Central Catholic (23-2)

Coach: Christian Hyland

Projected starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Cl., Pos.

5, Tyree Turner, 6-0, sr., G

11, Liam Gallagher, 6-0, jr., G

15, Braden Riley, 5-11, jr., G

22, Brady O’Rourke, 6-4, jr., G/F

40, Franco Alvarez, 6-5, sr., F

How they got here: Defeated Frazier, 57-22, in the first round; Eden Christian, 69-41, in the quarterfinals; and Northgate, 60-43, in the semifinals.

Notable: GCC is back in the finals for the second time in four seasons and fourth overall, but the Centurions are seeking their first title. They used a big fourth quarter to push past No. 3 Northgate, 60-43, in the semifinals as Tyree Turner, a fourth-year starter, attacked the rim and scored a game-high 21 points. Senior forward Franco Alvarez added 16. GCC has made the semifinals four straight times under Hyland’s leadership. It has won 14 in a row but will have a challenge against Aliquippa, which handled GCC in last year’s semifinals 61-36. The win snapped a streak of five straight semifinal losses. GCC also has runner-up finishes in 2011 and ’14. It lost to Monessen (63-43) and Seton LaSalle (52-51). Our Lady of the Sacred Heart won 71-52 in the ’21 final on the way to a 24-0 season.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Aliquippa, Greensburg C.C.