Basketball

Hampton’s Ben Ringeisen and Luke Lindgren defend on Montour’s Alex Boyden during WPIAL playoff action Monday, Feb. 18, 2019 at North Allegheny High School.

High school roundup for Feb. 18, 2019: Montour, Chartiers Valley earn playoff wins

February 18, 2019

The Montour boys basketball team buckled down on the defensive end Monday night to earn a spot in the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Quaker Valley’s Corrine Washington defends on Freeport’s Sidney Shemanski during WPIAL playoff action Monday, Feb. 18, 2019 at North Allegheny High School.

No. 13 Quaker Valley girls upset No. 4 Freeport in Class 4A 1st round

It is often said that when the WPIAL playoffs begin, every team enters with a clean slate.

McKeesport’s Haley Hertzler drives against Greensburg Salem’s Nikki Mellinger during a WPIAL playoff game Feb. 18, 2019, at Fox Chapel.

McKeesport’s pressure rattles Greensburg Salem girls in 1st-round win

With leading scorer Jhayla Bray spending most of the first half on the bench with foul trouble, McKeesport’s defense started strong and built a double-digit lead Monday night against Greensburg Salem.

Keystone Oaks gets defensive in Class 4A 1st-round win over Belle Vernon

Two long runs and 12 Belle Vernon turnovers in a span of two quarters helped Keystone Oaks advance to the WPIAL Class 4A girls basketball quarterfinals.

Franklin Regional’s Nick Leopold drives to the basket past Thomas Jefferson’s Isaac McNeil during a WPIAL Class 5A playoff game.

Experience pays for Franklin Regional in playoff win over Thomas Jefferson

In WPIAL basketball, playoff experience knows no bounds.

Southmoreland’s Bailey Kuhns (left) and Apollo-Ridge’s Maddy Moore battle for a loose ball during their WPIAL Class 4A playoff game. Southmoreland won 40-37.

Southmoreland girls lean on defense to hold off Apollo-Ridge

All conscious thought left Bailey Kuhns’ mind as she saw Apollo-Ridge’s Rylee Eaton break into the clear for a potential go-ahead layup in the final minute of Southmoreland’s first playoff game in more than a decade.

Franklin Regional’s Nick Leopold attempts to dribble as Belle Vernon’s Koby Kuhns gets entangled on defense on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 during the Hempfield boys’ basketball tournament at Hempfield Area High School.

Westmoreland basketball playoff preview capsules for Wednesday’s games

Boys

A-K Valley basketball playoff capsules for games of Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019

Boys

Veteran, championship-winning boys basketball coaches to lead P-T vs. PT on Tuesday night

Ten years ago, one coach was hoisting WPIAL gold. Sixteen years ago, the other coach was winning a district championship.

Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Player of the Week: Lincoln Park’s Keeno Holmes

Keeno Holmes

Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Team of the Week: Beaver Falls Tigers

The Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Team of the Week returned to the playoffs last week and picked up a win to advance to Round 2 — the Beaver Falls Tigers.

Trib HSSN boys basketball state rankings for week of Feb. 18, 2019

Many of the ranked boys basketball teams across the commonwealth enjoyed a hard week of practice with few if any games as the postseason began.

Trinity’s Emily Venick drives to the basket past Penn-Trafford’s Maura Suman (14) and Reaghan Panza during their WPIAL Class 5A first round playoff game Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Mt. Lebanon High School.

DeRubbo leads Trinity girls past Penn-Trafford in WPIAL Class 5A 1st round

The Trinity girls basketball team lost four of its final six games to end the regular season.

Fox Chapel’s Seneca Valley’s Tre Rosell and Marcus Might during WPIAL playoff action Monday, Feb. 19, 2019 at North Allegheny High School.

Fox Chapel feels it after 1st quarter, beats Seneca Valley

Fox Chapel missed 10 of its first 11 shots Tuesday night, a dismal start that could have doomed the team’s playoff hopes, but then suddenly, they almost couldn’t miss.

Penn-Trafford’s Reaghan Panza has her shot blocked by Trinity’s Courtney Dahlquist during their WPIAL Class 5A first round playoff game Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Mt. Lebanon High School.

High school roundup for Feb. 19, 2019: Canon-McMillan rallies past North Allegheny

The Canon-McMillan boys basketball team trailed by 10 points after three quarters of a WPIAL Class 6A first-round playoff game against North Allegheny.

Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Player of the Week: South Side’s Sydney Payne

February 17, 2019

Sydney Payne

Ligonier Valley’s Michael Marinchak works against West Shamokin’s Jack McCullough during the Heritage Conference championship game Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, at IUP.

Coach Berger brings calming influence to Ligonier Valley boys

The coach at Ligonier Valley has changed, but the core group of players remained the same, providing an opportunity for another banner year in boys basketball after last season’s District 6-3A championship and PIAA first-round ouster.