Westmoreland high school basketball playoff preview capsules for March 12, 2024

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, March 11, 2024 | 5:10 PM

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PIAA basketball playoffs

Boys

Class 5A

Second round

Franklin Regional (24-3) vs. Selinsgrove (18-7)

7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Altoona High School

District seeds: Franklin Regional 7-2; Selinsgrove 4-1

Winner plays: Winner of 3-1 Mechanicsburg (21-5)/7-3 Shaler (24-3) on Friday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Cooper Rankin, Franklin Regional; Xaivier Jackson, Selinsgrove

Layup lines: Franklin Regional posted its first PIAA basketball win since 2017 when it held off Warwick, 68-53, on Friday in Murrysville. Fin Hutchison and Rankin each scored 16 points, Connor Crossey added 11 and Colin Masten had 10 for the Panthers, whose 24 wins are the most in the program since 1997. The team had 24 wins combined over the last three years. … Selinsgrove, located about 200 miles northeast of Murrysville, near Lewisburg, had not won a state playoff game since 2001 when it defeated Muhlenbrg, 57-49, in the opening round. Jackson tied a career high with 21 points, and Ries Naugle added 16 for the Seals, the champions of District 4. Naugle, like FR’s Cam Rowell, is known for his slam dunks.

Girls

Class 6A

Second round

Norwin (22-3) vs. Chartiers Valley (17-8)

6 p.m. Tuesday at AHN Arena, Peters Township

District seeds: Norwin 7-1; Chartiers Valley 7-4

Winner plays: Winner of 7-3 Peters Township (24-2)/1-2 Spring-Ford (22-5) on Friday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Lauren Palangio, Norwin; Lilah Turnbull, Chartiers Valley

Layup lines: WPIAL champion Norwin used its size and postseason experience to cruise past District 3’s York William Penn, 54-29, in the first round in North Huntingdon. Palangio was a force again around the basket, producing 14 points and 12 rebounds, and senior Ava Kobus scored 13. Norwin has won 13 straight games and is winning by an average of 23.5 points in the playoffs. The Lady Knights could see a team they haven’t played this season in Peters Township or one they have in Spring-Ford, which is responsible for one of their three losses. Spring-Ford beat Norwin, 51-46, in the State College Tournament in early December. … Chartiers Valley, which lost to Norwin in the WPIAL semifinals 63-47, bounced back from two straight losses to knock off District 6 champion Altoona, 44-43. Turnbull made two key free throws in the closing seconds to seal the win. Turnbull finished with 18 points, and Emma Reynolds added 15. The Colts made the 5A state finals in 2022.

Class 2A

Second round

Greensburg Central Catholic (21-6) vs. West Middlesex (20-5)

7 p.m. Tuesday at North Allegheny

District seeds: GCC 7-1; West Middlesex 10-3

Winner plays: Winner of 7-4 South Side (16-11)/5-1 Everett (19-7) on Friday in quarterfinals (time, site TBD)

Players to watch: Avery Davis, GCC; Caitlin Stephens, West Middlesex

Layup lines: GCC, a WPIAL champion for the sixth time, blew past visiting Bellwood-Antis in the first round 59-27. Sophomore Erica Gribble had a game-high 20 points, and senior Mya Morgan added 16 as the Centurions raced to a 17-5 lead. GCC made it to the state semifinals last season. It could get a rematch with South Side in the quarterfinals. Those teams met in the WPIAL semifinals. GCC is unbeaten against 2A teams this season. … West Middlesex, located in Mercer County, won with a dramatic finish in the state first round. Stephens, a 5-foot-10 senior forward, made a spin move on the low block and scored to beat the buzzer in a 38-36 victory over Moniteau. Other key players for the Big Reds include sophomore Lili Kildoo and senior Emma Mild.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Norwin