What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Dec. 17, 2024: Tough test awaits Chartiers Valley boys

By: Don Rebel
Monday, December 16, 2024 | 10:30 PM

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Following a victory over South Fayette on Jan. 6, 2023, the Chartiers Valley boys basketball team sat in first place in Section 4-5A and had an overall record of a perfect 12-0.

Then things went south for the Colts, who lost seven of their final 10 games and finished in fifth place in the section, one game out of a playoff berth.

With nearly everybody returning, including junior Jayden Davis, one of the top scorers from the previous season when he averaged 25.3 points per game, Chartiers Valley was ranked in the preseason Top 5.

However, the season spun out of control with in-house turmoil that led to a coaching change.

The Colts missed the playoffs again with an overall record of 10-11.

With new coach Corey Dotchin in place, the recent shortcomings seem to be a thing of the past for this year’s Chartiers Valley team, which has exploded out of the gates with a 6-0 start that includes a victory last week in its Section 4-5A opener.

Davis is once again among the top scorers in the district. The senior guard is averaging 21.5 points per game.

On Tuesday, CV faces a “big” challenge when it hosts Montour.

The Spartans are also unbeaten with a 3-0 record heading into their first section contest.

Montour is led by Trib HSSN preseason player of the year Ama Tening Sow. The 6-foot-11 senior is averaging 19.3 points per game this season.

You can watch the Spartans against the Colts here on Trib HSSN at 7:30 p.m.

Silver and hoping for gold

The holiday season is filled with silver linings with classic tunes about silver bells, along with silver and gold.

Two district boys basketball Class 5A teams that have been perfect this season know all about silver.

Baldwin was the WPIAL Class 6A runner-up a year ago, reaching the finals before falling to Upper St. Clair.

Peters Township was in the same boat the year before, vying for a WPIAL Class 5A championship until it lost to Penn Hills in the finals.

These two clash for the first time in an early Section 3-5A showdown Tuesday.

The Highlanders are playing their section opener after a 5-0 start with nonsection victories over Shaler, Altoona, Mt. Lebanon, Penn-Trafford and Brashear.

The Indians are also 5-0 with wins over Canon-McMillan, Altoona, Shaler, Seneca Valley and Thomas Jefferson in their section opener last week.

South Fayette is also undefeated (1-0, 4-0) in the section and will host Bethel Park on Tuesday.

Another 5A early season fray

We have featured early season showdowns in Sections 4 and 3 in Class 5A above, but there is another December boys basketball game of interest Tuesday, this time in Section 1-5A.

HSSN preseason top-ranked Uniontown and Latrobe are a combined 9-1 overall as they prepare to square off for the first of two section meetings.

The Red Raiders are alone in first place with section victories over Penn-Trafford and Albert Gallatin.

They are 4-1 overall and have won three straight since a one-point loss to Belle Vernon on Dec. 6.

The host Wildcats are a perfect 5-0 with wins over Mt. Pleasant, Richland, Hempfield, Mars and Gateway.

The game at Latrobe can be seen on Trib HSSN at 7:30 p.m.