WPIAL Reveals 2023 Boys’ & Girls’ Basketball Championships Brackets

Monday, February 13, 2023

Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) has announced its brackets for the WPIAL Boys’ & Girls’ Basketball Championships, with all 12 championship games set to be held on March 2-4 at the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center.

Teams qualify for the postseason by finishing in the top four of sections of seven teams or fewer, and in the top five of eight-team sections. If ties can not be broken for a qualifier spot, then every team within that tie will qualify for the postseason. Postseason competition beings on Thursday, February 16 with pigtail games in the 2A boys’, 3A girls’, 4A boys’, and 5A girls’ brackets.

LINK: 2023 WPIAL Basketball Tournament Central

In boys’ basketball, New Castle (9-1) won the Section I title in 6A and Upper St. Clair (9-1) captured Section II plaudits. The 5A classification featured Peters Township (9-1) winning Section I, Penn Hills (9-1) capturing Section II, Gateway (9-1) topping Section III, and North Hills (8-2) reigning in Section IV.

There were two shared section championships in 4A, with Laurel Highlands (9-1) and Uniontown (9-1) splitting Section III, and Quaker Valley (8-2) and South Allegheny (8-2) tied in Section IV. Hampton (10-0) and Lincoln Park (12-0) were undefeated champions of Section I and Section II, respectively. The 3A classification featured Steel Valley (10-2) as the sole champion of Section II, and splits in Section I between Mohawk (10-2) and Neshannock (10-2), Section III with Shady Side Academy (10-2) and Deer Lakes (10-2), and Section IV between Washington (10-2) and Yough (10-2).

In 2A boys’ basketball, Aliquippa (10-0) led Section I, Bishop Canevin (9-1) topped Section II, Greensburg Central Catholic (11-1) won Section III, and Fort Cherry (12-0) captured Section IV. Union (9-1) and Imani Christian Academy (10-0) were sole winners of Section I and Section III, respectively, in 1A, while Monessen (9-1) and Geibel Catholic (9-1) shared Section II.

For girls’ basketball, Norwin (9-1) and North Allegheny (9-1) shared the Section I title in 6A, while Upper St. Clair (12-0) was an unbeaten Section II champion. Indiana (11-1), Oakland Catholic (12-0), and South Fayette (10-0) were sole champions of their 5A sections, and Armstrong (9-3) and Mars (9-3) were co-champions of Section II.

The 4A classification featured North Catholic (12-0) as Section I champion, Blackhawk (10-0) reigning in Section II, and Elizabeth Forward (12-0) winning Section III. There was one split section crown in 3A, with Laurel (9-1) and Neshannock (9-1) sharing Section I honors. Avonworth (9-1) won Section II, Shady Side Academy (10-0) captured Section III, and Waynesburg Central (8-2) was Section IV champions.

Burgettstown (12-0) and Washington (12-0) were unbeaten section winners in 2A, while Shenango (11-1) and Freedom Area (11-1) shared Section I, and Serra Catholic (11-1) and Greensburg Central Catholic (11-1) were Section III co-champions. Union (5-1) and Bishop Canevin (5-1) both claimed a share of Section I in 1A, while Monessen (9-1) and Saint Joseph (8-0) were winners for Section II and Section III, respectively.

Qualification for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Boys’ & Girls’ Basketball Championships will be determined via results from the championship and consolation brackets, with teams’ seeding based on how they fare in “play-back” contests. In boys’ basketball, seven teams qualify from 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A, five teams qualify from 1A, and three teams qualify from 6A. In girls’ basketball, eight teams qualify from 2A, seven teams qualify from 3A and 5A, six teams qualify from 4A, five teams qualify from 1A, and four qualify from 6A. The PIAA Basketball Championship Games will be March 23-25 at the GIANT Center in Hershey.

6A BOYS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Friday, February 24
Amount of Qualifiers: 8
Championship Date & Start Time: Saturday, March 4 at 7:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 New Castle (19-2, 9-1), #2 Upper St. Clair (14-8, 9-1), #3 Central Catholic, (13-9, 7-3) #4 Mt. Lebanon (14-7, 8-2)
Qualifying Teams: Baldwin, Butler, Central Catholic, Mt. Lebanon, New Castle, Norwin, Seneca Valley, Upper St. Clair
2022 Final: Fox Chapel 43, North Hills 36

6A GIRLS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Friday, February 24
Amount of Qualifiers: 9
Championship Date & Start Time: Friday, March 3 at 7:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 Upper St. Clair (19-2, 12-0), #2 North Allegheny (16-5, 9-1), #3 Norwin (16-5, 9-1), #4 Mt. Lebanon (16-6, 9-3)
Qualifying Teams: Baldwin, Butler, Chartiers Valley, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Upper St. Clair
2022 Final: Mt. Lebanon 55, Upper St. Clair 44

5A BOYS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Thursday, February 16
Amount of Qualifiers: 16
Championship Date & Start Time: Thursday, March 2 at 9:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 Peters Township (18-3, 9-1), #2 Penn Hills (16-3, 9-1), #3 North Hills (17-5, 8-2), #4 Gateway (15-5, 9-1)
Qualifying Teams: Bethel Park, Fox Chapel, Gateway, Kiski Area, McKeesport, Mars, Moon, North Hills, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Shaler, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity, Woodland Hills
2022 Final: Laurel Highlands 60, New Castle 58 (2OT)

5A GIRLS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Friday, February 24
Amount of Qualifiers: 17
Championship Date & Start Time: Saturday, March 4 at 5:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 South Fayette (20-2, 10-0), #2 Oakland Catholic (19-3, 12-0), #3 McKeesport (18-4, 10-2), #4 Trinity (15-6, 8-2)
Qualifying Teams: Armstrong, Butler, Greater Latrobe, Hampton, Indiana, Kiski Area, Lincoln Park, Mars, McKeesport, Montour, Oakland Catholic, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Plum, South Fayette, Trinity, Woodland Hills
2022 Final: South Fayette 57, Chartiers Valley 48

4A BOYS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Thursday, February 16
Amount of Qualifiers: 17
Championship Date & Start Time: Friday, March 3 at 9:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 Lincoln Park (21-1, 12-0), #2 Laurel Highlands (19-2, 9-1), #3 Uniontown (18-3, 9-1), #4 Hampton (20-2, 10-0)
Qualifying Teams: Avonworth, Beaver, Belle Vernon, Blackhawk, Elizabeth Forward, Freeport, Hampton, Highlands, Knoch, Laurel Highlands, Lincoln Park, Montour, North Catholic, Quaker Valley, South Allegheny, Uniontown, West Mifflin
2022 Final: Quaker Valley 61, Montour 52

4A GIRLS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Friday, February 24
Amount of Qualifiers: 12
Championship Date & Start Time: Saturday, March 4 at 3:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 Blackhawk (19-3, 10-0), #2 North Catholic (19-3, 12-0), #3 Elizabeth Forward (17-4, 12-0), #4 Quaker Valley (15-7, 8-2)
Qualifying Teams: Beaver, Belle Vernon, Blackhawk, Elizabeth Forward, Greensburg Salem, Highlands, Hopewell, Knoch, Laurel Highlands, North Catholic, Quaker Valley, West Mifflin
2022 Final: Blackhawk 55, Knoch 35

3A BOYS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Monday, February 20
Amount of Qualifiers: 16
Championship Date & Start Time: Friday, March 3 at 5:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 Steel Valley (12-9, 10-2), #2 Neshannock (15-5, 10-2), #3 Shady Side Academy (15-6, 10-2), #4 Mohawk (19-2, 10-2)
Qualifying Teams: Beaver Falls, Brownsville, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Derry, Ellwood City, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey, Mohawk, Neshannock, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Seton LaSalle, Shady Side Academy, Steel Valley, Washington, Yough
2022 Final: Shady Side Academy 66, Avonworth 54

3A GIRLS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Friday, February 24
Amount of Qualifiers: 17
Championship Date & Start Time: Friday, March 3 at 3:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 Shady Side Academy (19-2, 10-0), #2 Laurel (19-2, 9-1), #3 Neshannock (16-6, 9-1), #4 Avonworth (15-5, 9-1)
Qualifying Teams: Apollo-Ridge, Avonworth, Beaver Falls, Burrell, Charleroi, Keystone Oaks, Laurel, McGuffey, Mohawk, Mt. Pleasant, Neshannock, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Seton LaSalle, Shady Side Academy, South Park, Waynesburg Central, Yough
2022 Final: North Catholic 48, Freedom Area 43

2A BOYS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Thursday, February 16
Amount of Qualifiers: 18
Championship Date & Start Time: Saturday, March 4 at 1:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 Aliquippa (16-6, 10-0), #2 Bishop Canevin (18-4, 9-1), #3 Fort Cherry (20-2, 12-0), #4 Greensburg Central Catholic (15-5, 11-1)
Qualifying Teams: Aliquippa, Bentworth, Bishop Canevin, Burgettstown, Carmichaels, Chartiers-Houston, Clairton, Eden Christian Academy, Fort Cherry, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Laurel, Nazareth Prep, Northgate, Propel Braddock Hills, Serra Catholic, Shenango, South Side
2022 Final: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 60, Fort Cherry 36

2A GIRLS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Friday, February 24
Amount of Qualifiers: 16
Championship Date & Start Time: Thursday, March 2 at 7:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 Shenango (18-4, 11-1), #2 Freedom Area (16-4, 11-1), #3 Serra Catholic (18-4, 11-1), #4 Greensburg Central Catholic (16-2, 11-1)
Qualifying Teams: Aliquippa, Brentwood, Burgettstown, California, Carlynton, Carmichaels, Chartiers-Houston, Clairton, Fort Cherry, Freedom Area, Greensburg Central Catholic, Rochester, Serra Catholic, Shenango, Washington, Winchester Thurston
2022 Final: Neshannock 55, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 31

1A BOYS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Friday, February 17
Amount of Qualifiers: 13
Championship Date & Start Time: Thursday, March 2 at 5:00 PM
Top Four Seeds: #1 Imani Christian Academy (15-6, 10-0), #2 Union (20-2, 9-1), #3 Carlynton (15-6, 8-2), #4 Geibel Catholic (15-6, 9-1)
Qualifying Teams: Aquinas Academy, Avella, Geibel Catholic, Imani Christian Academy, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, Monessen, The Neighborhood Academy, Rochester, Summit Academy, Union, Western Beaver
2022 Final: Bishop Canevin 58, Union 45

1A GIRLS’ BASKETBALL [Bracket]
Start Date: Friday, February 24
Amount of Qualifiers: 12
Championship Date & Start Time: Saturday, March 4 at 11:00 AM
Top Four Seeds: #1 Union (15-6, 5-1), #2 Bishop Canevin (9-7, 5-1), #3 Aquinas Academy (14-8, 2-4), #4 Monessen (15-5, 9-1)
Qualifying Teams: Aquinas Academy, Avella, Bishop Canevin, Eden Christian Academy, Geibel Catholic, Jeannette, Leechburg, Monessen, Riverview, Saint Joseph, Union, West Greene
2022 Final: Bishop Canevin 59, Aquinas Academy 40

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