WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball breakdown
By:
Tuesday, December 4, 2018 | 8:57 PM
Class 3A
Preseason Player of the Year
Keeno Holmes, Lincoln Park
6-3, Sr., guard
23.0 ppg last season
Players to watch
Tyreek Davis, Avonworth
6-2, Sr., F, 15.7 ppg
Isaac DeGregorio, North Catholic
5-10, Jr., G, 14.2 ppg
Dan Etheridge, Washington
6-4, Sr., F, 16.8 ppg
William Gipson, Aliquippa
6-4, Sr., G, 13.6 ppg
Isaiah Smith, Lincoln Park
6-0, Jr., G, 16.0 ppg
Preseason Top 5
1. Lincoln Park (20-7 last season)
The reigning WPIAL champion Leopards return three starters: Holmes and forwards Tanner Mathos and Andre Wilder. Isaiah Smith, a junior guard, who transferred from Sewickley Academy, also will bolster the lineup.
2. Aliquippa (17-8)
Twelve seniors return for the Quips, who finished third in the WPIAL after losing to Lincoln Park, 59-57, in the semifinals last season. The group includes Gipson, a Pitt football recruit whose team is playing in the state title game this weekend.
3. North Catholic (13-13)
North Catholic is under new leadership, as Dave DeGregorio takes over on the bench. He is joined by sons Isaac and Owen. Isaac was an all-section guard last season at Hampton. The Trojans finished fourth in the WPIAL last season and reached the PIAA playoffs.
4. Seton LaSalle (20-7)
WPIAL runners-up a year ago, the Rebels were hit hard by graduation, including Jakob Richardson (16.0 ppg) and George Mike (13.0 ppg), who were all-section selections. They averaged 62.4 points en route to the Section 2 title.
5. Washington (18-6)
Washington breezed to a 12-0 mark in Section 4 last season. Back is Etheridge, an all-section performer last year for the Little Prexies, who reached the WPIAL quarterfinals and PIAA playoffs. They graduated just two seniors.
Notable
• WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball again has four sections but has moved from 25 teams to 28.
• Beaver Falls, Deer Lakes, Keystone Oaks and Valley dropped from 4A.
• Apollo-Ridge, Brentwood, Burgettstown, Mohawk and South Side dropped to Class 2A.
• Fort Cherry, Frazier and Neshannock moved from Class 2A.
• Beaver Falls moved down to Class 3A after going 6-15 last season. The Tigers return senior guards Gage McKelvey and Jalen Vaughn.
• Frazier returns all-section forward Justin Novak, who averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds in Class 2A last year.
• Thomas Melonja, a senior forward who played a Lincoln Park last season, transferred to Peters Township.
Alignment
Section 1: Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Lincoln Park, Neshannock, New Brighton, Riverside
Section 2: Avonworth, Carlynton, Freedom, Fort Cherry, Keystone Oaks, North Catholic, Seton LaSalle
Section 3: Burrell, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, Steel Valley, Valley
Section 4: Beth-Center, Brownsville, Charleroi, Frazier, McGuffey, Southmoreland, Washington
— Bill Hartlep
Bill Hartlep is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bhartlep@tribweb.com or via Twitter @TribHSInsider.
Tags: Aliquippa, Avonworth, Lincoln Park, Washington
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