The new-look PIAA basketball playoffs get under way this weekend and will feature Philadelphia Public League teams for the first time.

For years, the basketball in the Public League has been perceived as having better teams than the rest of the state. Now teams from the Public League will have an opportunity to prove how good they are.

"It's the first chance to answer that ages-old question, 'How would the PIAA teams and the Public League teams fare against each other in a state championship tournament?'" Plymouth-Whitemarsh coach Jim Donofrio told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "I think it'll be very interesting."

Bok Vocational Tech will be the first Public League team to play in the PIAA tournament. It takes on Phoenixville in Class AAA Friday night. Bok was also the first Public League team to take part in the PIAA football playoffs.

But it is in boys Class AAAA and AA where the Public League teams are expected to do the most damage. Philadelphia Central (25-2), Simon Gratz (18-9), Frankford (19-4) and University City (17-7) are in the Class AAAA field.

Franklin Learning Center (19-7), Prep Charter (21-5) and Engineering & Science (13-10) are in the Class AA field.

Scott Rodgers, a 6-foot-3 senior who averages 22.2 points a game, and Kenny St. George, a 6-1 junior who averages 12.4, lead Central. Senior Andre Woodlin, 6-3, averages 10.6 ppg. Franklin Learning Center has 6-2 sophomore Malcolm Eleby, who averages 15.6 ppg, and 6-0 junior Brandon Williams, who averages 15.6 ppg.

The other new look for the PIAA tournament is there is no longer a clear dividing line between teams in the eastern and western halves of the bracket in Class AAAA and AAA.

For example, Central Dauphin, Norristown, Lower Merion, Emmaus, Red Lion, Conestoga and Ephrata are in the Western Region for boys Class AAAA. Those schools used to always be in the Eastern Region.

The shift was due to the Philadelphia schools joining the PIAA.

The PIAA tournament begins Friday with boys Class AAA and A and girls Class AAAA and AA games. Boys Class AAAA and AA games and girls Class AAA and A games will be played Saturday. The PIAA basketball championships are March 18 and 19 at the Giant Center in Hershey.