Basketball

Freedom’s Shaye Bailey drives against Neumann-Goretti’s Mihjae Hayes during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game last season.

Trib HSSN 2022-23 WPIAL Class 2A girls basketball preseason breakdown

December 1, 2022

Last year’s WPIAL finalists Neshannock and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart have moved up to Class 3A, leaving Class 2A open for new contenders.

Aliquippa’s Donovan “DJ” Walker shoots a 3-pointer over South Allegheny’s Michael Michalski during their PIAA Class 3A semifinal last season.

Trib HSSN 2022-23 WPIAL Class 2A boys basketball preseason breakdown

Jake DiMichele is at First Love Christian Academy. OLSH is playing in Class 3A.

Neshannock’s Mairan Haggerty celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer against Southern Columbia during the PIAA Class 2A championship game last season.

Trib HSSN 2022-23 WPIAL Class 3A girls basketball preseason breakdown

November 30, 2022

What will Neshannock do for an encore?

North Catholic’s Dacia Lewandowski drives past Freedom’s Julia Mohrbacher during the WPIAL Class 3A championship game March 3 at Petersen Events Center.

Trib HSSN 2022-23 WPIAL Class 4A girls basketball preseason breakdown

November 29, 2022

The Trojanettes are back.

Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher shoots a 3-pointer against Highlands during a PIAA Class 5A second-round playoff game last season.

Trib HSSN 2022-23 WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball preseason breakdown

A high school career that began with a storybook WPIAL championship in 2020 ends this season as Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher plays his senior year for the Mustangs.

Imani Christian transfers eligible for basketball season after PIAA overturns WPIAL decisions

November 28, 2022

Imani Christian transfers Robert Sledge and Kylan Holmes are now eligible to play basketball this winter after the PIAA overturned earlier decisions by the WPIAL.

Valley head coach John Stone watches from the bench during a game against Burrell last season.

Valley boys have clean slate as rebuilding process continues

After a 1-21 season in his first year as a high school head basketball coach in 2021-22, Valley’s John Stone was undeterred, even as he bid farewell to four senior starters.

Yough girls basketball program continues to gain steam as new section awaits

The gymnasium at Yough is squeaking with basketball shoes, and there is energy in the air as girls run laps to open a practice.

Yough freshman Terek Crosby drives to the hoop during Yough’s WPAL Class 4A playoff matchup against Knoch on March 1, 2021.

With new drop in classification and 4 starters back, Yough boys have look of contender

A drop in classification. A new section. A host of letterwinners returning.

North Hills’ Royce Parham works against North Allegheny’s Ty Iwanonkiw during a WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal last season.

Trib HSSN 2022-23 WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball preseason breakdown

November 27, 2022

Fox Chapel and North Hills, last year’s WPIAL finalists in Class 6A, moved into Class 5A in PIAA realignment in the offseason. But they’re not big-school bullies swooping in to steal the lunch money of smaller schools. Far from it.

South Fayette’s Maddie Webber celebrates as time expires in the Lions’ WPIAL Class 5A semifinal against McKeesport on Tuesday, March. 1, 2022, at North Allegheny High School.

Trib HSSN 2022-23 WPIAL Class 5A girls basketball preseason breakdown

It’s become a common theme to list Chartiers Valley among the preseason favorites for the WPIAL Class 5A title. This year, though, the Colts are notably missing from that group.

St. Joseph’s Jimmy Giannetta takes a pass during practice on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, at the high school in Natrona Heights.

St. Joseph boys motivated by last year’s brush with playoffs

St. Joseph coach Hart Coleman doesn’t have to look too far to find a way to motivate his group.

Derry’s Nick Detore drives past Southmoreland’s Ty Keffer during their WPIAL Class 4A playoff game on Monday, March 1, 2021, at Derry Area High School.

Southmoreland boys to rely on toughness to get back into playoffs

After missing out on the WPIAL playoffs last season, Southmoreland boys basketball coach Frank Muccino is predicting the Scotties will be better this year.

Gateway’s Marina Grado shoots a 3-pointer against Penn Hills last season.

Gateway girls basketball looks to use team approach to get back on track

For the last several seasons, the Gateway girls basketball team has had one or two top-level players on the roster — a scorer or two who could fill up the stat sheet before matriculating on to the next level to play high-end college basketball.

Gateway’s Jaydon Carr steals the ball from Franklin Regional’s Caden Smith last season.

Gateway hopes to carry momentum of playoff run into new season

After an impressive playoff run for the Gateway boys basketball team a season ago, things will look a bit different on the hardwood in Monroeville in 2022-23.

Sewickley Academy’s Rinnie Jardini (15) and Aliquippa’s Islynn Lawson (3) go up for a rebound last season.

New coach expects Sewickley Academy girls to adopt defensive identity

The Sewickley Academy girls basketball team has a new head coach. She is not new to the program, however.

Penn Hills girls basketball coach Robert Cash

Penn Hills girls basketball eager to get back on course

Hannah Pugliese doesn’t need to dig into the history books to know what the tradition of the Penn Hills girls basketball program means. All she has to do is talk to volunteer assistant coaches Desiree Oliver and Jade Ely, who have been helping the team out in the preseason.