PIAA Western Class A Boys Basketball Playoff Primer.

The Frontrunner- Lincoln Park - Despite being rated as the fourth place team from District Seven, these guys are still the team to beat. The Leopards are paced by talented 6-8 junior, Elijah Minnie. Lincoln Park was surprised by an athletic Clairton bunch in the WPIAL semifinals, but that was on Clairton's best day. Lincoln Park has great athletes, and have played a trying schedule. They are ready to make a run to Hershey.

The Challenger- Vincentian Academy - Vincentian enters the tournament with a 25-1 mark, and the champions of the WPIAL. They are a team that is very comfortable scoring a lot of points, and can run and gun with the best of them. They will be confident, and tough to slow down.

Best Local Challenger - Bishop Carroll - I understand Shade's gaudy record, and the fact Bishop Guilfoyle just beat Bishop Carroll, but in a state tournament setting, these Huskies are the best bet. Brandon Martinazzi is an outstanding lead guard, and Marcus Lee is a formidable presence inside. Not to mention that one loss for Vincentian came to the Huskies.

Local Team with best road to advance- Bishop Guilfoyle - The Maruaders have things setting up rather nicely for themselves. BG gets a Smethport team in their own backyard at Altoona High School. After that, they would have to see a Clairton team that is certainly beatable. It would be North Catholic or Johnsonburg after that in the state quarterfinal round, and they would be able to avoid Lincoln Park until the Western Final.

District that can surprise- District 9- The WPIAL typically has a hold on anything this end of the state, yet other districts have certain classifications in certain sports that can contend. That would be the case for District 9 in class A boys basketball. Johnsonburg has excellent shooters, and they are a viable contender for the bottom half of the bracket. Ridgway made it to the Western Final last season, and some of those players are still there. North Clarion and Smethport only have 5 combined losses, so do not sleep on any team from up that way.

What to expect from the East- Vaux or Math Civics & Sciences- Vaux is led by Rysheed Jordan, who is down to UCLA, St. John's, or Temple. He is a five star player ranked in the top 30 in the country. MCS has three Division 1 players, Britton Lee and Jeremiah Worthem both going to Robert Morris, and Quadir Welton going to Saint Peter's.


My Picks
Vincentian over North Clarion
Bishop Carroll over Shanksville
Ridgway over Homer Center
Lincoln Park over Kennedy Catholic
Bishop Guilfoyle over Smethport
Clairton over Cochranton
North Catholic over Shade
Johnsonburg over Eisenhower

Vincentian over Bishop Carroll
Lincoln Park over RIdgway
Clairton over Bishop Guilfoyle
Johnsonburg over North Catholic

Lincoln Park over Vincentian
Johnsonburg over Clairton

Lincoln Park