Ok, time to ruffle some feathers.

As we get deeper into the PIAA basketball playoffs, North Catholic’s boys and girls basketball teams were our last two Butler County teams still playing.

Before everyone starts bringing up the public vs. private school debate again, how private schools can bring in players from anywhere while public schools are restricted by boundaries in that regard, it’s only fair to look at the total picture here.

The advantage private schools have in terms of a larger talent pool is real and critics have a legitimate argument in that regard.

But here’s the flip side.

Parents have the right to send their kids to private schools if so desired. Some want their kids to experience and practice their religion as they go through high school. This means a lot to many.

And while the North Catholic teams are indeed talented, they are also beatable. The Trojanettes needed overtime to edge Blackhawk by three in the WPIAL final.

They also lost by 19 to Mt. Lebanon, seven to Seneca Valley and by eight to Pine-Richland during the regular season. North Catholic takes a 19-7 record into its PIAA quarterfinal game with Wyomissing this weekend.

That is a good record, not a dominant one.

The Trojanettes lost senior starter Ava Walker for the season and started two freshmen all year. That pair got better as the season went on. That’s not private school advantage. That’s coaching.

And on the girls side, Molly Rottmann is one of the best girls basketball coaches around.

North Catholic’s boys dropped three section games this year and are 18-9 on the season. Two of those losses are to powerhouse Lincoln Park, but the Trojans also lost by 27 to Uniontown and by eight to Beaver, a pair of public schools.

Max Hurray is one of the best players in the WPIAL and the leader of North Catholic’s boys team. At times, the Trojans have struggled to get enough complementary scoring around him.

Jim Rocco is the boys head coach and, like Rottmann, is recognized as one of the best around. His daughter, Alayna, is the best player and the leader of the girls team.

These teams play top-flight competition from outside of Western Pennsylvania early in the season for two reasons. One is you get better by playing better teams. Two is you find out what your weaknesses are early enough in the season to correct them.

North Catholic basketball draws talented players, to be sure.

But they win because they do things the right way with quality people.

The Trojanettes have won more than 100 section games in a row. That’s a streak that should be relished and appreciated, not criticized by other high school programs.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle