What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Feb. 9, 2022: Shady Side Academy on verge on playoffs

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, February 8, 2022 | 11:58 PM

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During the offseason, Jonna Burke surprised many in the WPIAL basketball bubble by leaving as head coach at her alma mater Bethel Park to take over the girls basketball program at Shady Side Academy.

She left a perennial power in 6A to take over a team that finished last and didn’t even participate in the Class 3A open postseason tournament last year.

Now she is ready for another stunner.

Shady Side Academy visits struggling East Allegheny on Wednesday. If the Bulldogs win, they will clinch a playoff berth.

This from a team that won one game a year ago and was 2-4 in section play two weeks ago and sitting in sixth place in the seven-team Section 3-3A.

SSA has won three of its last four section games to improve to 5-5 in the section and 8-8 overall.

Because of last week’s winter storms, Wednesday is busier than usual with section makeup games. Other key girls hoop games:

• Pine-Richland at Butler: The Rams trail the Golden Tornado by two games for a playoff spot with two games remaining. Pine-Richland must win to stay alive heading into their section finale on Thursday.

• Uniontown at Ringgold: Both teams are chasing Connellsville for fourth place in Section 3-5A. The loser of this game is eliminated while there are no guarantees for the winner.

• Sewickley Academy at Aliquippa: The two teams are even in the win column in the battle for fourth place in Section 1-2A. The Panthers have played two fewer games, but the Quips won the first meeting.

• Winchester Thurston at Apollo-Ridge: The Bears have a half-game lead over the Vikings for second place in Section 4-2A. The winner clinches a playoff spot, although there’s a good chance the both teams will eventually qualify.

• Riverview at St. Joseph: The winner of this game will qualify, although like WT-AR scenario above, there’s a good chance both teams will eventually qualify out of Section 3-A.

Top guns

There are 15 WPIAL boys basketball section games slated for Wednesday.

One of the games with playoff implications has Steel Valley visiting Ligonier Valley.

The host Rams have already clinched a playoff spot, sitting in third place in Section 3-3A behind South Allegheny and Shady Side Academy.

The Ironmen are in fourth place and can clinch a playoff berth with a road victory.

The game features two of the top scorers in the WPIAL.

Steel Valley junior Makhai Valentine is fourth in the WPIAL, averaging nearly 30 points per game. Ligonier Valley is led by senior Matthew Marinchak, who averages almost 24 points per game.

The first meeting last month came down to the wire with Ligonier Valley pulling out a 79-77 road victory.

Tags: Shady Side Academy