WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball preview: New Castle vs. Quaker Valley
By:
Saturday, March 2, 2019 | 4:02 AM
Quaker Valley’s Adou Thiero drives to the basket past New Castle’s Drew Cox during their game Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, at New Castle High School.
Class 4A boys
New Castle (20-4) vs. Quaker Valley (20-3)
1 p.m. Saturday, Petersen Events Center
Starting lineups
No. 1 New Castle (20-4)
Coach: Ralph Blundo
No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr.
3 Michael Wells, G, 5-9, Fr.
5 Payne Prowell, G, 5-11, Sr.
10 Donte Burnett, G, 6-0, Sr.
11 Sheldon Cox, G, 6-2, So.
23 Drew Cox, G, 6-1, Sr.
No. 3 Quaker Valley (20-3)
Coach: Mike Mastroianni
No. Player, Pos., Ht., Yr.
1 KC Johns, G, 5-11, Jr.
12 Danny Conlan, F, 6-5, Sr.
22 Ryan Stowers, G, 6-5, Sr.
23 Adou Thiero, G, 5-11, Fr.
24 Christian Johnston, F, 6-5, Sr.
Title-game history: This is the third consecutive year that New Castle and Quaker Valley met in the WPIAL Class 4A final. New Castle won 72-58 in 2017 and 57-52 in 2018. The Red Hurricanes own 12 WPIAL titles overall (1927, ’36, ’82, ’93, ’97-99, 2012-14, ’17 and ’18). The Quakers won their only title in 1997.
Stat leaders: NC: Demetris McKnight 12.8, Sheldon Cox 11.9, QV: Ryan Stowers 22.6, Danny Conlan 16.5
Notable: Quaker Valley defeated New Castle twice in section play this season: 67-48 on Jan. 4 and 70-67 in overtime on Jan. 29. New Castle played its two playoff games without leading scorer and rebounder Demetris McKnight (7.7 rebounds) for an undisclosed issue. Sheldon Cox scored a game-high 27 points in New Castle’s 68-62 victory over Highlands in the semifinals. Stowers scored 51 points combined in Quaker Valley’s two playoff wins. The Quakers defeated Ambridge, 69-60, in the semifinals. Stowers is a 41-percent shooter from 3-point range (30 for 74).
Predicted winner: Quaker Valley
Watch the TribLive HSSN broadcast of the WPIAL Class 4A boys championship.
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: New Castle, Quaker Valley
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