WPIAL playoffs feature 9 county teams
GREENTREE — A February frenzy, indeed.
The 100th annual WPIAL Basketball Tournament tips off Friday night and will involve 82 boys and 81 girls teams playing 155 total games in the span of two weeks.
The tourney brackets were released Tuesday night during a meeting held at the Doubletree Hotel in Greentree.
“Some people always respond to these brackets with skepticism, but I can assure you that the effort and true professionalism demonstrated by this steering committee to form fair and competitive brackets is unmatched,” WPIAL executive secretary Tim O'Malley said.
Five of the nine Butler County teams to make the tournament play this weekend. Seneca Valley's boys face Mt. Lebanon at 3 p.m. Saturday at Chartiers Valley. The Blue Devils allowed the fewest points in Quad-A during the regular season at 43.5 points per game. Only South Fayette (43.3) allowed fewer throughout the WPIAL.
Games Friday include Knoch's boys taking on Indiana at 8 p.m. at Plum and Freeport's girls going up against Steel Valley at 6:30 p.m. at Keystone Oaks.
North Allegheny will host a Saturday doubleheader involving local teams. Freeport's boys face Northgate at noon, followed by Knoch's girls opposing Beaver at 1:30 p.m.
“We don't know a thing about Beaver and we haven't played well our last few games,” Knoch coach Sean O'Donnell said. “We're just happy to be in this thing.
“We'll work hard in practice all week and try to put together a competitive game on Saturday.”
Butler's boys do not see action until Wednesday, Feb. 22 when they take on No. 2 seed Chartiers Valley at a site and time to be determined. Shaler is the No. 1 seed in boys Quad-A.
Chartiers Valley is the WPIAL's highest scoring Class AAAA team, averaging 71.7 points per game.
“We have more time to prepare for them, but they have more time to prepare for us, too,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “The good news from our end is we have more time for some guys to get healthy.
“When you're a bottom seed, you know you're getting a tough first-round game. Find a way to win, though, and we take over that No. 2 spot on the bracket.”
Mars' teams don't see action until next week, either. The boys drew West Mifflin, while the girls will face South Fayette, which is the highest scoring girls team in WPIAL Triple-A this year at 65.3 points per game.
The Lady Planets accepted their co-section championship plaque with Hampton despite finishing just 11-11 overall.
“Our team just came together. These girls played with will and determination,” Mars coach Tony Howard said. “We were 2-1 in the section after we lost to Hampton, so it's been like a playoff game each night since to catch them.
“This will be a long layoff between games for us, so we'll have to do what we can to stay sharp and focused. I'd rather be playing by Monday, to be honest.”
Summit Academy earned its first co-section title last season and its first outright section crown this year. The Knights play the Northgate-Freeport winner next week.
“To do this back-to-back with two completely different rosters is unheard of,” Summit coach Art McCray said. “It's all about togetherness with our guys. Whatever happens, they accept it together.”
Tournament notes: Former Mars coach and Butler assistant Dana Petruska won a section title this year with Deer Lakes. ... There are 59 schools with boys and girls teams in the tourney, including Mars, Knoch and Freeport. ... New Castle's boys and Seton LaSalle's girls are the only WPIAL teams with perfect records while 18 teams posted perfect section records.
Here is a look at first-round matchups involving Butler County teams:<B>WPIAL TOURNAMENTClass AAAA Boys </B>Saturday: Seneca Valley (13-9) vs. Mt. Lebanon (17-5), 3 p.m., at Chartiers ValleyWednesday, Feb. 22: Butler (11-11) vs. Chartiers Valley (20-2), site and time TBA<B>Class AAA Boys </B>Friday: Knoch (10-12) vs. Indiana (14-8), 8 p.m., at PlumTuesday: Mars (16-6) vs. West Mifflin (13-8), site and time TBA<B>Class AAA Girls </B>Saturday: Knoch (9-12) vs. Beaver (12-9), 1:30 p.m., at North AlleghenyWednesday, Feb. 22: Mars (11-11) vs. South Fayette (15-7), site and time TBA<B>Class AA Boys </B>Saturday: Freeport (10-9) vs. Northgate (12-10), noon, at North Allegheny.Wednesday, Feb. 22: Summit Academy (17-4) vs. winner of Freeport/Northgate, site and time TBA<B>Class AA Girls </B>Friday: Freeport (10-11) vs. Steel Valley (16-5), 6:30 p.m., at Keystone Oaks
