Basketball
This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 03/01/2015
March 1, 2015
With the district playoffs behind us, it's on to the state playoffs in both basketball and wrestling this week is here on the MSA Sports Network. We have First Round play in the PIAA Basketball Playoffs...First Round and Quarterfinals games from the PIHL Penguins Cup high school hockey playoffs...Postseason mat action from Hershey with the 2015 PIAA Class AAA and Class AA Individual Wrestling Championships, plus we have Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle, the WPIAL Roundball Report and the PIHL Power Play Show on a special night ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, March 2nd:Norwin, Blackhawk, Seton & Vincentian 2015 WPIAL Girls Hoops Champs
Three defending champs were successful in claiming more gold while a first-time winner joined them over Championship Weekend at the University of Pittsburgh. Vincentian Academy continues to dominate Class A with a fourth straight district title while Blackhawk in Triple-A and Seton-LaSalle in Double-A claimed back-to-back titles. The Rebels crown was their fourth in five years. Meanwhile, there is a new King of the Mountain in Quad-A girls hoops as Norwin followed rival Penn-Trafford from last year in capturing a school first district championship. Here ALL of the results from the 2015 WPIAL Girls Basketball Playoffs. All of the games marked (MSA0 can be heard archived here on the MSA Sports Network.
Blackhawk Repeats as Girls AAA Champs With Win Over South Fayette
February 28, 2015
Blackhawk used a strong kick to break a tie in the final minute of the first half and never looked back in knocking off South Fayette --- Saturday afternoon at the Petersen Events Center at the University of Pittsburgh to repeat as Girls AAA champions. The title was the seventh overall for top-seed Blackhawk and marked the third time they have been able to repeat as WPIAL champions. The Cougars also won back-to-back District 7 crowns in 1996-97 and 1999-2000. The WPIAL’s leading scorer senior Chassidy Omogrosso got off to a hot start with 10 points in the opening quarter as the Cougars jumped out early to a 10-4 lead before the underdog and #10-seed Lions went on a 14-2 run to fight back and forge an 18-18 tie after the first quarter.Scholastic Notebook – 02/27/2015
February 27, 2015
The WPIAL basketball championships Friday and Saturday are most definitely a story of new and old faces. All eight title games will be played at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center. All through the boys and girls title games are familiar faces and some you have never seen in the title games for a number of years, and a few never before. On the boys side, the new are North Allegheny and Indiana. North Allegheny has won numerous WPIAL titles in just about every sport, but the Tigers have never won a WPIAL basketball championship. They have been to the title game only two other times – under coach Mark Jula. The Tigers lost to McKeesport in 1995 and to a great New Castle team in 1999.WPIAL Basketball Playoff Recaps for Thursday, February 26th
February 26, 2015
The first year experiment has come to an end. Instead of playing follow the winner to determine the PIAA qualifiers from District 7, this season marked the first of a three year experiment with play-in games or Consolation contests. Those teams that gained state playoff berths with their play on the court likely give the test a two-thumbs up. Here are recaps from the eight 5th Place games and the three 7th place games on Consolation Thursday. A special thanks go out to Bob Orkwis, Mark Schaas, Dennis Fischer, Brian Mroziak, Gero Von Dahn, Josh Rowntree, Bob Gregg, Lou Rood and Bob Barrickman for their help on these recaps. BOYS WPIAL CLASS AAAA Fifth Place Consolation Game:WPIAL Basketball Playoff Recaps for Wednesday, February 25th
The heavyweights flexed their respective muscles and earned a spot in the District 7 title games this weekend. North Allegheny boys, Chartiers Valley boys, Aliquippa boys, Seton-LaSalle boys, Blackhawk girls and Vincentian Academy girls were all impressive en-route to double digit victories. South Fayette girls and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic girls were close with cigars as they claimed narrow wins that lift them to their respective title games. Here are recaps from all eight games on Semifinals Wednesday. A special thanks to Paul Paterra, Steve Nagler, Sean Meyers, Bob Barrickman, Mike Azadian, Randy Gore and Don Rebel for their help on these recaps. BIYS WPIAL CLASS AAAA Semifinals:WPIAL Basketball Playoff Recaps for Monday, February 23rd
February 24, 2015
It took an additional 48 hours or so, but the Second Round finally came to an end on another frigid night in Western Pennsylvania. The Final Four is now set in Boys AAAA, Boys AA, Girls AAA and Girls A with plenty of expected teams and some surprises mixed in. Seeds three and four were bounced in Quad-A boys while the second-seed in Double-A boys was knocked out, as was the third-seed in Single-A girls. Here are recaps from the 16 Quarterfinals and 2 Consolation Round One contests played on Monday. A special thanks to Mike Azadian, Mark Uriah, Brandon Showers, Bob Gregg, Brian Mroziak, Paul Paterra, Bob Orkwis, Steve Nagler, Sam Hall, Terry Neary, Bob Barrickman, Randy Gore and Bobby Fox for their help on these recaps.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 02/23/2015
February 23, 2015
Another golden weekend is here there and everywhere...wait a second, I'm sorry, the only place to find gold on the courts and on the mats this week is here on the MSA Sports Network. We have Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolations and the Championships EVERY DAY this week from the WPIAL, District 6 and District 9 basketball playoffs.WPIAL Basketball Playoff Recaps for Friday, February 20th
February 21, 2015
With a couple of exceptions, the top seeds in each of the eight postseason basketball tournaments cruised through the First Round. That all changed BIG TIME on Friday when three top-seeds were eliminated from the district gold chase. Here are the recaps from the Boys Triple-A, Boys Single-A, Girls Quad-A and Girls Double-A Quarterfinals game from another frigid Friday night. A special thanks to Lou Rood, Dennis Fischer, Terry Neary, Bob Orkwis, Adam Hoerner, Randy Gore, Brandon Showers, Bob Gregg, Sean Meyers, Sam Hall, Rob Longo, Mike Sackley and Bob Barrickman for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA Quarterfinals:Scholastic Notebook – 02/20/2015
February 20, 2015
Highlands and Bishop Canevin are in the WPIAL boys basketball quarterfinals. Who would’ve thought you’d read that sentence this year? Highlands and Bishop Canevin are two of the biggest turnaround stories in the league over the past few years. Highlands (13-11) will play Indiana in the WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinals tonight. Two years ago, Highlands finished 1-21 under first-year coach Tyler Stoczynski. Highlands started to show signs of improvement last year, but still finished 9-13 and out of the playoffs.WPIAL Basketball Playoff Recaps for Wednesday, February 18th
February 19, 2015
After four days, the First Round of the 2015 WPIAL Basketball Playoffs is in the books. While there were few surprises in the first three days, that changed big on Day Four when a handful of double-digit seeds were surprising winners are are on their way to Quarterfinals Weekend. Here are recaps from all the First Round games played on a frigid Wednesday. A special thanks to Chris Lackner, Dennis Fischer, Mark Uriah, Mark Schaas, Brian Mroziak, Steve Nagler, Terry Neary, Scott Majesky, T.J. DiStefano, Bob Barrickman, Bob Gregg, Josh Rowntree, Mike Sackley, Brandon Showers, Lee Mohn, Adam Hoerner, Bob Orkwis, Lou Rood, Jason Kern and Gero Von Dahn for their help on these recaps, BOYS WPIAL CLASS AAAA First Round:WPIAL Basketball Playoff Recaps for Tuesday, February 17th
February 18, 2015
After two days of no surprises, eye-brows were raised all over in Boys Class AAA as the lucky #13-seed rung true after the Highlands Golden Rams squeaked past the 4th-seed West Mifflin Titans. There were also a couple of scares for a pair of top-seeds. Here are recaps from the Boys AAA and A and Girls AAAA and AA First Round games played on Tuesday. A special thanks goes out to Gero Von Dahn, Lee Mohn, Matt Vandriak, Paul Paterra, Bob Gregg, Chris Lackner, Steve Nagler, Sean Meyers, Randy Gore, Mark Uriah, T.J. DiStefano, Lou Rood, Scott Briggs, Cory Campano, Mike Azadian, Brian Mroziak, Dennis Fischer, Bob Barrickman, Mark Schaas, Josh Rowntree and John Smathers for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA First Round:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 02/16/2015
February 16, 2015
So it's postseason scholastic basketball you want? There is no where else to go for all the hardwood action this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We close out the First Round and look ahead to the Quarterfinals this weekend in both boys and girls WPIAL, District 6 and District 9 playoff basketball. We also have plenty of gold to hand out with the WPIAL Diving, WPIAL Swimming and WPIAL Class AA and District 6 Class AAA Individual Wrestling Championships along with WPIAL Class AAA-4 Wrestling Sectionals, plus we have men's and women's college basketball, Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle, the PIHL Power Play Show and The WPIAL Roundball Report ALL here at MSAsports.netWPIAL Basketball Playoff Recaps for Saturday, February 14th
February 14, 2015
Just like Day One, Day Two offered little in surprises with a #10 seed (Upper St. Clair boys) and a pair of #9 seeds (Bethel Park boys and Imani Christian girls) moving on to Round Two. Here are recaps from Preliminary Round and First Round action in Boys AAAA, Boys AA, Girls AAA and Girls A on a snowy Saturday. A special thanks to Mike Azadian, Josh Rowntree, T.J. DiStefano, Mark Schaas, Sam Hall, Mike Sackley, Brandon Showers, Rob Longo, Randy Gore, Bobby Fox, Aaron Anderson, Bob Barrickman and Bob Gregg for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA First Round:WPIAL Basketball Playoff Recaps for Friday, February 13th
The curtain has gone up on the 2015 WPIAL Basketball Playoffs with Preliminary Round and First Round action from Boys Class AAA, Boys Class A, Girls Class AAAA and Girls Class AA. There were no surprises as First Round winners move on to the Quarterfinals next Friday while Preliminary Round victors prepare for Round One on Tuesday. Here are recaps from the nine boys and nine girls games on Friday the 13th. A special thanks to Paul Paterra, Brian Mroziak, Mark Schaas, Sean Meyers, Lou Rood, Steve Nagler, Mike Azadian, Scott Briggs, Mike Sackley, Josh Rowntree, Lanfer Simpson, Matt Vandriak, Lanny Frattare, Bob Orkwis and Bob Barrickman for their help on these recaps. Boys WPIAL CLASS AAA Preliminary Round:2015 WPIAL Boys Basketball Playoff Preview
February 13, 2015
It starts with 73 basketball teams and will conclude in two weeks with four teams lifting the golden basketball. Here is a preview laden with plenty of postseason Factoids for the 2015 WPIAL Boys Basketball Playoffs. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Defending champion: New Castle Top seeds: North Allegheny is first, Chartiers Valley second, Mt. Lebanon third, Hempfield fourth. High scorers: Matty McConnell, Chartiers Valley, 30.5; Kason Harrell, Hempfield, 25.7.2015 WPIAL Girls Basketball Playoff Preview
It starts with 74 basketball teams and will conclude in two weeks with four teams lifting the golden basketball. Here is a preview laden with plenty of postseason Factoids for the 2015 WPIAL Girls Basketball Playoffs. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Defending champion: Penn-Trafford Top seeds: Penn-Trafford first, North Allegheny second, Norwin third, Bethel Park fourth High scorers: Amanda Kalin, Pine-Richland, 20.0; Alayna Gribble, Norwin, 18.0.FINAL 2014-2015 WPIAL Boys Basketball Standings
February 10, 2015
Here are the FINAL WPIAL boys basketball standings for the 2014-2015 regular season...INCLUDING THE FINAL LIST OF TEAMS THAT HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE WPIAL BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS EXCLUSIVELY ON MSA SPORTS. The standings will be updated daily throughout the rest of the regular season here on the MSA Sports Network. Don't forget weekly WPIAL boys hoops rankings are released each Tuesday along with boys basketball talk every Wednesday during the WPIAL Roundball Report at 6:00pm and live and archived broadcasts only here on the MSA Sports Network. Top FOUR teams in ALL sections qualify for the WPIAL playoffs: # - Clinched Section Title Outright & - Clinched Share of Section TitleFINAL 2014-2015 WPIAL Girls Basketball Standings
Here are the FINAL WPIAL girls basketball standings for the 2014-2015 regular season...INCLUDING THE FINAL LIST OF TEAMS THAT HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE WPIAL GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS EXCLUSIVELY ON MSA SPORTS. The standings will be updated daily throughout the rest of the regular season here on the MSA Sports Network. Don't forget weekly WPIAL girls hoops rankings are released each Monday with girls hoops talk every Wednesday during the WPIAL Roundball Report at 6:00pm and girls basketball broadcasts live and archived each week only here on the MSA Sports Network. Top FOUR teams in ALL sections qualify for the WPIAL playoffs: # - Clinched Section Title OutrightMSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Boys Basketball Playoff Teams 2015
February 9, 2015
Here are our final rankings for the 2014-2015 WPIAL boys basketball season. As in the past at the end of the regular season, we rank all of the playoff teams, not just the top ten. We also don't rank, we seed them like the WPIAL does. It is not a true ranking since the steering committee tries to avoid Preliminary and First Round matchups of teams in the same section, so sometimes lower teams are shuffled about to avoid section rivals meeting early on in the brackets. Here is our version of the February Frenzy and the Seeding Shuffle for all 73 of the WPIAL boys basketball playoff field. Tune in Tuesday night at 7:00pm on MSAsports.net for the announcement and analysis of the actual brackets during the 2015 WPIAL Basketball Playoff Pairings Show.
