Basketball
WPIAL Boys Basketball Championship Preview
February 28, 2014
Kudos to the WPIAL basketball steering committee for their excellent work in setting up the boys basketball playoffs. In the end, which is their starting goal, they try to get the two best teams playing for gold. This weekend it will be #1 vs #2 in three of the four finals, with the lone exception being the #1 vs #3 matchup in Class A. Here is a look at this weekend four boys championship hoop games. CLASS AAAA: The game: New Castle (25-0) vs. Hampton (22-3) Saturday at 7 p.m.WPIAL Girls Basketball Championship Preview
For one of the few times in district basketball finals history, the WPIAL will have book-end girls basketball championship games with the Class A title games lifting the curtain and the Class AAAA finals concluding two days of championships. Here is a look at all four of the 2014 WPIAL Girls Basketball Championship Games which can be heard only here on the MSA Sports Network. CLASS AAAA: The game: Hempfield (17-8) vs. Penn-Trafford (19-6) Saturday at 9 p.m. Coaches: Aaron Epps, Hempfield … John Giannikas, Penn-TraffordWPIAL Qualifiers for PIAA Basketball Playoffs
As we wind down the Battle to the Bluff this weekend, we look ahead to next weekend and the start of the Road to Hershey. Here is a list of WPIAL boys and girls basketball teams that will be participating in this years state basketball playoffs, plus those teams on the bubble heading into WPIAL Championship Weekend through Friday nights action. BOYS CLASS AAAA (5): IN: 1 - New Castle Red Hurricane 2 - Hampton Talbots 3 - Kiski Area Cavaliers 4 - North Allegheny Tigers 5 - Bethel Park Black Hawks BOYS CLASS AAA (6): IN: 1 - Central Valley Warriors 2 - Chartiers Valley Colts
WPIAL Semifinals Wednesday Spotlight Game: New Castle 77 – Kiski Area 23
February 27, 2014
Totally dominant. That is the best description for New Castle’s 77-23 semifinal win over Kiski on Wednesday night at North Allegheny High School. The Red Hurricanes (25-0) used scoring runs of 7, 6 and 6 points in the first half to build a 22-point lead at halftime, then put the pedal down with full throttle in the third, outscoring the Cavaliers 27-3 to kick in the mercy rule. Senior Malik Hooker, an Ohio State football recruit, scored 20 points and continued his streak of YouTube moments with a tremendous one-handed jam down the lane. The thunderous jam brought a standing ovation from the over one thousand New Castle fans in attendance.WPIAL Basketball Playoffs – Wednesday 2/26 Recaps
February 26, 2014
Things got off to an interesting start in several of the early games, but by the time the final horn sounded in the late games, all was well as the higher seeds won most of the contests on Wednesday setting up some outstanding matchups for Championship Weekend. Here are the summaries for the eight Boys AAAA, Boys AA, Girls AAA and Girls A games on Semifinals Wednesday around the WPIAL. A special thanks to Steve Nagler, Bob Gregg, Don Rebel, Randy Gore, Bob Barrickman and Mark Schaas for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Semifinals:
WPIAL Semifinals Tuesday Spotlight Game: Seton-LaSalle 62 – Bishop Canevin 40
In a rematch of last year's WPIAL Class AA Championship game, the Seton-LaSalle Rebels got a bit of revenge against their rivals, knocking Bishop Canevin out of the 2014 tournament with a 62-40 victory at Chartiers Valley High School.WPIAL Basketball Playoffs – Tuesday 2/25 Recaps
It was a banner night on MSA Sports...The highest scoring game in WPIAL playoff history, a pair of overtime games, a 12th-seed Cinderella stuns a top-ranked team, an undefeated team rallies to remain perfect and a team wins to clinch a sixth straight trip to Championship Weekend. Not bad for Semifinals Tuesday. Here are the recaps from the Boys AAA, Boys A, Girls AAAA and Girls AA Semifinals. A special thanks to T.J. DiStefano, Paul Paterra, Randy Gore, Don Rebel, Josh Rowntree, Brian Mroziak and Bob Barrickman for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA Semifinals:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 02/24/2014
February 24, 2014
We have ALL of the winter sports postseason as February slides into March during Championship Week ONLY here on the MSA Sports Network. We will broadcast every WPIAL Basketball Playoff boys and girls Semifinals and Championship Game along with coverage of the District 6 & District 9 boys and girls basketball postseason. We also have the WPIAL Class AAA Individual Wrestling Championships, the 2014 PIAA Class AA Individual Wrestling Southwest Regionals, the 2014 WPIAL Boys and Girls Swimming Championships, men's and women's college hoops and PIHL regular season and playoff high school hockey, plus Inside the WPIAL Wrestling Circle, the PIHL Power Play Show and The WPIAL Roundball Report on a special day ALL here at MSAsports.netAllderdice Boys & Obama Girls Win City League Basketball Titles
February 22, 2014
In the end, the Eagles and Dragons split the gold. After Pittsburgh Obama Academy knocked off Allderdice Friday in the girls basketball title game, the Dragons returned the favor by edging the Eagles in the boys finals on Saturday afternoon, ending Obama's unbeaten season. Here are ALL the results of the 2014 Pittsburgh City League Boys and Girls Basketball Playoffs. 2014 PITTSBURGH CITY LEAGUE BOYS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Allderdice Dragons 55 - Pittsburgh Obama Academy Eagles 54 CITY LEAGUE BOYS Semifinals: Pittsburgh Obama Academy Eagles 62 - Carrick Raiders 41 Allderdice Dragons 71 - Perry Commodores 61
WPIAL Quarterfinals Saturday Spotlight Game: Quigley Catholic 49 – St. Joseph 39
In a battle of the Spartans and a rematch from last year’s Girls Class A quarterfinals, the result was the same as Quigley Catholic moved on to the semifinals with the backyard win, 49-39 over St. Joseph, at the Ambridge Field House. Liz Duer and Kaitlyn Smith each had 14 points to lead Quigley to the victory.WPIAL Basketball Playoffs – Saturday 2/22 Recaps
Sure, many of the expected heavyweights in District 7 hoops are headed into Week Two of the postseason...New Castle, Hampton, North Allegheny, Beaver Falls, Seton-LaSalle, Greensburg Central Catholic, Aliquippa, Blackhawk, Elizabeth Forward, South Park, Vincentian Academy and Serra Catholic. But there are a couple of surpise guest joining the Final Four party in Kiski Area, West Mifflin, Quigley Catholic and California. Let's find out how they advanced on Quarterfinals Saturday with recaps from the 16 Round Two contests. A special thanks to Lou Rood, Dennis Fischer, Matt Vandriak, Mike Krcil, Adam Hoerner, Sean Meyers, Randy Gore, Mike Sackley, Brandon Showers, Jason Colangelo, Mike Sackley, Mike Azadian, Bob Gregg and Mark Schaas for their help on these recaps.
WPIAL Quarterfinals Friday Spotlight Game: Vincentian 88 – Clairton 51
February 21, 2014
In a rematch of last year’s WPIAL Class A Championship Game, the result was the same but in a much more dominant fashion, as No. 2 Vincentian (22-2) continued on their path to repeat as the Class A Champions, taking down No. 10 Clairton 88-51. The Royals forced 20 turnovers in the first half, 38 in all for the game to pull away for the victory at West Allegheny High School. Vincentian Academy started cold from the floor, missing their first five shots and were just 5 of 19 in the opening quarter from the field. But the full court defensive pressure was there, as Clairton (10-7) turned the ball over 13 times in the opening frame and could only muster four field goals on 13 attempts.Scholastic Notebook – 02/21/2014
If the WPIAL basketball quarterfinals are a party for eight, Class AAAA Section 1 has done and unusual thing and made reservations for two. It’s like Section 1 has finally stood up and said “what about us?” Hempfield and Kiski Area are Section 1 teams that have made it to the quarterfinals. It might not seem like much, but seeing two from Section 1 eating at the quarterfinal table doesn’t happen often. Since 2000, this is only the fourth time that two teams from Section 1 have made the quarterfinals and the first time since 2010. In 2007, Albert Gallatin and Norwin made the quarterfinals. Norwin and Franklin Regional made it in 2008. Kiski Area and Latrobe made it in 2010.WPIAL Basketball Playoffs – Wednesday 2/19 Recaps
February 19, 2014
Four days and 64 high school basketball postseason games later, the First Round of the 2014 WPIAL Basketball Playoffs has come to an end. While the surprises were kept to a minimum, there were enough eye-brow raisers to make things interesting heading into the Second Round this weekend. Here are recaps from opening round action in the Boys AAAA, Boys AA, Girls AAA and Girls A District 7 playoffs on Wednesday night. A special thanks to Dennis Fischer, Jason Tennant, Paul Paterra, Steve Nagler, Pete Blais, Mark Schaas, Sean Meyers, Matt Vandriak, Josh Rowntree, Don Rebel, Lou Rood, Bob Barrickman, Brian Mroziak, Randy Gore, Mike Sackley, Bob Gregg, John Smathers and Mark Uriah for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA First Round:WPIAL Basketball Playoffs – Tuesday 2/18 Recaps
Tuesday featured 20 First round games in Boys AAA, Girls AAAA and Girls AA. Of the 20 games played, only three lower-seeds were able to punch their ticket for the Quarterfinals as double-digit seeds Hempfield girls, Montour boys and Blackhawk boys attempt to bust the brackets. Here are the recaps from opening round action on Tuesday. A special thanks to Bob Orkwis, Mark Uriah, Sean Meyers, Lou Rood, Terry Neary, Adam Hoerner, Mike Sackley, Mark Schaas, Steve Nagler, Sam Hall, Steve Nagler, T.J. DiStefano, Bob Gregg, Mike Azadian, Brian Mroziak, Paul Paterra, Don Rebel, John Smathers and Adam Gusky for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA First Round:NEW WPIAL BASKETBALL ALIGNMENT
February 18, 2014
Chartiers Valley and Lincoln Park boys are moving up, New Castle boys and Hampton boys are moving down and Pittsburgh Central Catholic boys are moving north...again. The WPIAL Board of Control on Tuesday approved the new alignment for bot the boys and girls in high school basketball.2014 Pittsburgh City League Basketball Playoffs
2013 was the Year of the Bulldogs in District 8 high school hoops after Westinghouse swept bot the boys and girls basketball championships. 2014 could be either the Year of the Eagles OR the Year of the Dragons as both Pittsburgh Obama Academy and Allderdice have made it to the boys and girls City League title game. Here are all the results through the Semifinals in the 2014 Pittsburgh City League Boys and Girls Basketball Playoffs. 2014 PITTSBURGH CITY LEAGUE BOYS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: #1 Pittsburgh Obama Academy Eagles (22-0) vs #3 Allderdice Dragons (18-5) AT To Be Determined on Saturday, February 22nd at 12:00pm CITY LEAGUE BOYS Semifinals:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 02/17/2014
February 17, 2014
We are without regret to again inform all of the parents, players and fans of THE Network that we continue our exclusive coverage of the district postseason this week ONLY here on the MSA Sports Network. We will broadcast every WPIAL Basketball Playoff boys and girls First round and Quarterfinals game, along with coverage of the District 6 boys and girls basketball postseason.WPIAL Basketball Playoffs – Saturday 2/15 Recaps
February 15, 2014
The focus of Day Two of the 2014 WPIAL basketball Playoffs switched to Class AAAA Boys First Round, Class AA Boys Preliminary Round, Class AAA Girls Preliminary Round and Class A Girls First Round. Outside of Latrobe throwing a scare into two-time defending boys champions New Castle, all went pretty much as expected Saturday afternoon. Here are ALL of the recaps from the 12 boys and 10 girls postseason contests. A special thanks to Zach Zeigler, Dow Carnahan, Josh Rowntree, Dennis Fischer, Jordan Thompson, Steve Nagler, Lou Rood, T.J. DiStefano, Brandon Showers, Bob Orkwis, Sean Meyers, Mark Schaas, Sam Hall, Greg Kuntz, Chris Lackner, Bob Gregg and Mike Sackley for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA First Round:WPIAL Basketball Playoffs – Friday 2/14 Recaps
February 14, 2014
The curtain rose on the 2014 WPIAL Basketball Playoffs Friday night with First Round action in Boys Class A and Girls Class AAAA along with Preliminary Round play in Boys Class AAA and Girls Class AA. Here are recaps from most of the games played on opening night of the Battle to the Bluff. A special thanks to Bob Gregg, Mark Uriah, Mike Azadian, Mark Schaas, Jason Colangelo, Bob Orkwis, T.J. DiStefano, Terry Neary, Steve Nagler, Sam Hall, Sean Meyers, Jason Tennant, Randy Gore, Don Rebel, Lanfer Simpson, Josh Rowntree, Bob Barrickman, Lou Rood and Brian Mroziak for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA Preliminary Round:
