A-K Valley basketball playoff capsules: Games for Monday, March 1, 2021

By: Greg Macafee
Sunday, February 28, 2021 | 3:07 PM

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Here’s a look at Monday’s WPIAL basketball playoff games involving A-K Valley teams:

Boys

Preliminary round

Class 4A

18-Yough (3-12) at 15-Knoch (6-9)

6 p.m. Monday

Coaches: Jim Nesser, Yough; Alan Bauman, Knoch

Winner plays: At 2-Lincoln Park (14-5), 6 p.m. Thursday

About Yough: Two of their wins this season came against Section 3-4A opponent Southmoreland, their third came against Serra Catholic. They finished the season on a four-game losing streak. They’ve averaged 56 points per game while allowing 63.

About Knoch: Junior guard Ryan Lang has averaged 24.4 points this season. They split their last four games, with wins coming against Freeport and Derry. This is Knoch’s first trip to the playoffs under first-year coach Alan Bauman.

17-Freeport (5-8) at 16-Blackhawk (6-6)

6 p.m. Monday

Coaches: Wayne Greiser, Freeport; Brooks Roorback, Blackhawk

Winner plays: At 1-Belle Vernon (11-1), 6 p.m. Thursday

About Freeport: The Yellowjackets won just one of their final four games, a Section 1-4A victory over Burrell. Junior Cole Charlton leads the Yellowjackets with 13.3 points per game. The Yellowjackets have five players who average six points or more points.

About Blackhawk: The Cougars finished the regular season by winning three of their final four. Five of their six losses came against the top three teams in Section 2-4A — Lincoln Park, Montour and Quaker Valley. The Cougars will be without forward Lorenzo Jenkins in the playoffs as the WPIAL denied his playoff eligibility after transferring from Fox Chapel.

Class 3A

22-Valley (1-12) at 11-Ellwood City (9-4)

6 p.m. Monday

Coaches: Mark Faulx, Valley; Steve Antuono, Ellwood City

Winner plays: 6-Avonworth (12-4), 6 p.m. Thursday

About Valley: The Vikings’ only win came against East Allegheny on Jan. 21. They’ve lost their last 10 games. They are averaging 42.3 points while giving up 60.7.

About Ellwood City: Winners of their past four, the Wolverines are in the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18. They are averaging 62 points and have scored 69 or more in three of the past four, including an 80-point outing against Riverside.

19-Beth-Center (5-10) vs. 14-Apollo-Ridge

6 p.m. Monday at Charleroi

Coaches: Bill Greco, Beth-Center; Greg Fox, Apollo-Ridge

Winner plays: 3-Shady Side Academy (13-2), 6 p.m. Thursday at Fox Chapel

About Beth-Center: After winning four of their first six, the Bulldogs lost eight of their final nine. They finished second to last in Section 4-3A with a record of 2-9. They’ve scored 46.2 points per game and allowed 53.9.

About Apollo-Ridge: Seniors Klay Fitzroy and Jake Fello have both topped 1,000 career points this season. The Vikings averaged 57 points, and their only losses came against South Allegheny, Shady Side Academy and Springdale. Fitzroy and Fello average 18.5 and 18.3 points, respectively.

Girls

Preliminary round

Class 5A

18-Lincoln Park (15-7) at 15-Plum (6-7)

6 p.m. Monday

Coaches: Ryan Kacsur, Lincoln Park; Steve Elsier, Plum

Winner plays: At No. 2 Chartiers Valley (19-3), 6 p.m. Thursday

About Lincoln Park: The Leopards played a full complement of 22 games. Lincoln Park was 2-6 in Section 1-5A but 13-1 in nonsection games. The Leopards won six of their final seven regular-season games. Lincoln Park, which started as a program in the 2015-16 season, is playing its first-ever playoff game. Senior guard Paige Brown is an experience leader for the team.

About Plum: The Mustangs finished 6-6 in a competitive Section 2-5A. Senior forward Kennedie Montue became the program’s all-time scoring leader at Fox Chapel on Feb. 12. She now has 1,454 career points and is averaging 23.6 points. Junior guard Kai Johnson and freshman Megan Marston are scoring threats for Plum, which is in the WPIAL playoffs for the fifth year in a row.

25 Ringgold (2-13) at 8-Fox Chapel (10-8)

6 p.m. Monday

Coaches: Matt Regula, Ringgold; Marty Matvey, Fox Chapel

Winner plays: 9-Penn Hills or 24-Uniontown, Thursday

About Ringgold: The Rams hope to pull the upset and snap a seven-game losing streak. Ringgold topped Laurel Highlands and Uniontown in Section 3-5A. The Rams are averaging just 23.6 points. The team will play in the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season and hopes to snap a three-game playoff losing skid.

About Fox Chapel: The Foxes finished runner-up (8-4) to No. 3 seed Hampton (14-5, 10-2) in Section 2-5A. The Foxes enter the WPIAL playoffs for the third year in a row. Fox Chapel will attempt to win its first playoff game since 2014 when it advanced to the WPIAL Quad-A semifinals and PIAA second round. Senior forward Ellie Schwartzman leads the Foxes in scoring at 14 points a game. Fellow senior Domenica Delaney, a guard, is averaging 13 a contest. Sophomore forward Elsie Smith, who missed the first six games with injury, has contributed nine points a game.

26-Kiski Area (3-16) at 7-McKeesport (14-4)

6 p.m. Monday

Coaches: Nick Dizon, Kiski Area; Eric Smith, McKeesport

Winner plays: 10-Oakland Catholic or 23-Laurel Highlands, 6 p.m. Thursday

About Kiski Area: The Cavaliers have lost 13 in a row since a 33-31 buzzer-beating win over Greensburg Salem on Jan. 23. Kiski Area is averaging 28.7 points while surrendering 46.6. Freshman guard/forward Abbie Johns, junior guard/forward Karli Keller, junior center Dejah Burnett and freshman forward Cara Coleman have led the Cavaliers in scoring.

About McKeesport: The Tigers, the third-place team in Section 4-5A, won six of their final eight games. Senior Haley Hertzler and sophomore Avionna Menifee scored 15 and 13 points, respectively, in a 65-60 win over Woodland Hills on Feb. 17. McKeesport hopes to get back in the playoff win column after an upset loss to Indiana in a 5-12 matchup in the Class 4A first round last year.

Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Beth-Center, Blackhawk, Ellwood City, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Kiski Area, Knoch, Lincoln Park, McKeesport, Plum, Ringgold, Valley, Yough