Boys basketball section rematches are part of 3 things to watch Friday in WPIAL athletics

By: Chris Harlan
Thursday, January 18, 2018 | 11:46 PM

A number of boys basketball sections have reached the season's midway point, so it's time battle everybody again.

Among Friday night's games is a section rematch between Belle Vernon (9-3, 5-1) and South Fayette (7-5, 4-2), who saw their first matchup decided by just two points. First-place Belle Vernon won 35-33 on Dec. 15 behind 13 points from Joe Sabolek, giving the Leopards a slim one-game lead over South Fayette in Section 3-4A.

Tipoff is 7:30 p.m. at South Fayette.

Another key rematch pairs Laurel Highlands (7-5, 3-1) and McKeesport (6-6, 4-1) in Section 1-5A. McKeesport won 69-65 in the first matchup.

Some sections have another game before reaching the midway point, and a number of teams have games to make up because of winter weather postponements.

Spirit championships are under way

Sixteen WPIAL teams will take part in the two-day PIAA competitive spirit championships that start Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.

Bethel Park, Baldwin, Butler, North Allegheny, Penn Trafford, Hampton, Shaler, Franklin Regional, Pine-Richland, Norwin, Elizabeth Forward, Hempfield, Derry, South Park, South Fayette and Thomas Jefferson qualified for the event. This is the sixth year that the PIAA will crown spirit champions.

Competition starts at 9 a.m.

Another test for top-ranked girls team

Ready for North Allegheny vs. Altoona, Part 2?

When the NA girls basketball team hosted Altoona on Dec. 10, it escaped with a 45-44 victory at home. That was easily the closest contest this season for North Allegheny (12-0), which remains undefeated and ranked first in WPIAL Class 6A.

But the team's undefeated record will be tested again with a rematch at 7 p.m. Friday in Altoona.

Altoona (14-1) competes in District 6, but the Mountain Lions already have defeated five WPIAL teams: Chartiers Valley, 56-46; Mt. Lebanon, 64-31; Latrobe, 61-52, Norwin, 53-52; and Penn-Trafford, 73-44.

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Laurel Highlands, McKeesport, North Allegheny, South Fayette