WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball finals preview: Lincoln Park vs. North Catholic
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Wednesday, February 27, 2019 | 9:46 PM
North Catholic’s Zack Rocco grabs a rebound between the Aliquippa defenders during semifinal WPIAL action Monday, Feb. 25, 2019 at North Allegheny High School.
Class 3A boys
Lincoln Park (21-4) vs. North Catholic (21-4)
9 p.m. Thursday, Petersen Events Center
Starting lineups
No. 1 Lincoln Park (21-4)
Coach: Mike Bariski
No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr.
2 Johnnie Bryant, G, 6-0, Jr.
5 Isaiah Smith, G, 6-0, Jr.
10 Andre Wilder, F, 6-3, Jr.
11 Tanner Mathos, F, 6-6, Jr.
24 Keeno Holmes, G, 6-2, sr.
No. 3 North Catholic (21-4)
Coach: Dave DeGregorio
No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr.
1 Nick Koscinski, G, 6-0, Sr.
11 Ryan Feczko, G, 6-0, Jr.
24 Jackson Paschall, F, 6-3, Jr.
35 Zack Rocco, F, 6-3, Jr.
55 Isaac DeGregorio, G, 5-11, Jr.
Title-game history: This is a rematch of the 2017 Class 3A final that North Catholic won 56-51. North Catholic owns four WPIAL titles (2009, ’10, ’16, 17). Lincoln Park has three (2012, ’14, ‘18), including last year’s over Seton LaSalle, 62-47.
Stat leaders: LP: Keeno Holmes 17.5; NC: Isaac DeGregorio 21.3
Notable: This is Lincoln Park’s fourth consecutive appearance in the WPIAL finals and the team’s eighth since 2010. The Leopards are 3-4 in WPIAL championships. Holmes received an offer last month from Clarion. Smith, a 15-point scorer, transferred to Lincoln Park last summer. He won a WPIAL title last season with Sewickley Academy. Lincoln Park reached the finals with a 75-58 semifinal victory over Seton LaSalle. Smith led with 23 points. … Dave DeGregorio, a former North Allegheny head coach, is in his first season at North Catholic. DeGregorio coached last season as an assistant at Hampton, where son Isaac starred as a sophomore. Isaac DeGregorio scored 23 points in the Trojans’ 61-49 semifinal victory over Aliquippa, four days after scoring 37 points in the quarterfinals. North Catholic ranks third in scoring offense among all WPIAL teams with a 75.4-point average. Lincoln Park is sixth at 72.8 points per game.
Predicted winner: Lincoln Park
*Watch all 12 WPIAL boys and girls basketball championships via live and archived video stream Thursday, Friday and Saturday at TribHSSN.triblive.com.
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Lincoln Park, North Catholic
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