WPIAL clinched: Boys basketball playoff qualifiers through Feb. 6, 2024

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, February 7, 2024 | 12:09 AM

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The stretch run of the WPIAL boys basketball season has only a few days remaining.

The WPIAL will release the boys basketball brackets on Monday with the Playoff Pairings Show on Trib HSSN at a time to be determined.

Here is the latest list of teams that have earned a district playoff berth through Tuesday, along with what needs to happen for all the bubble teams Friday.

*Won or shared section championship

Class 6A

7 of a possible 9 teams have clinched a playoff spot

Section 1

Central Catholic Vikings

North Allegheny Tigers

Butler Golden Tornado

• The winner of Central Catholic at North Allegheny on Friday is the section champion. … New Castle can clinch with a win at home over Seneca Valley on Friday. Pine-Richland can clinch with a win at Butler on Friday. If Seneca Valley beats New Castle and Pine-Richland loses to Butler, forcing a three-way tie for fourth place, Pine-Richland qualifies based on 3-1 record head-to-head. Seneca Valley has been eliminated.

Section 2

*Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils

Baldwin Highlanders

Upper St. Clair Panthers

Canon-McMillan Big Macs

Class 5A

15 of a possible 19 teams have clinched a playoff spot

Section 1

*Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Peters Township Indians

Bethel Park Black Hawks

Trinity Hillers

Section 2

*Shaler Titans

Fox Chapel Foxes

Penn Hills Indians

Woodland Hills Wolverines

Section 3

*Franklin Regional Panthers

Gateway Gators

Penn-Trafford Warriors

Kiski Area Cavaliers

• Latrobe can clinch with a win Friday over Gateway AND a Kiski Area loss Friday against Penn-Trafford.

Section 4

*Moon Tigers

South Fayette Lions

Mars Fightin’ Planets

• Chartiers Valley, North Hills and Mars are all tied for third place. On Friday, North Hills visits Chartiers Valley with the winner clinching a playoff berth. The Fightin’ Planets are in because they split with North Hills and Chartiers Valley and even if they lose at Moon, they would be tied for fourth place and both fourth-place finishers would clinch. If Mars wins, the North Hills-Chartiers Valley loser is eliminated.

Class 4A

15 of a possible 18 teams have clinched a playoff spot

Section 1

*Hampton Talbots

Highlands Golden Rams

Knoch Knights

• Indiana, Freeport and Greensburg Salem are all tied for fourth place. The winner of Indiana at Freeport on Friday will clinch and the loser is eliminated. Greensburg Salem will clinch with a win at Hampton on Friday.

Section 2

*Lincoln Park Leopards

North Catholic Trojans

Beaver Bobcats

Central Valley Warriors

Section 3

*Uniontown Red Raiders

Belle Vernon Leopards

Elizabeth Forward Warriors

Southmoreland Scotties

• Albert Gallatin can clinch with a home win Friday over Southmoreland.

Section 4

*Montour Spartans

Avonworth Antelopes

South Allegheny Gladiators

Quaker Valley Quakers

Class 3A

16 of a possible 17 teams have clinched a playoff spot

Section 1

*Mohawk Warriors

Neshannock Lancers

Ellwood City Wolverines

Beaver Falls Tigers

Section 2

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers

Seton LaSalle Rebels

South Park Eagles

Sto-Rox Vikings

• Keystone Oaks can clinch with a win over OLSH on Friday AND a Sto-Rox loss to Seton LaSalle.

Section 3

*Deer Lakes Lancers

Shady Side Academy Bulldogs

Burrell Buccaneers

Derry Trojans

Section 4

Washington Little Prexies

Yough Cougars

Mt. Pleasant Vikings

McGuffey Highlanders

Class 2A

15 of a possible 18 teams have clinched a playoff spot

Section 1

*Aliquippa Quips

Northgate Flames

Shenango Wildcats

Sewickley Academy Panthers

• South Side can clinch with a win at Sewickley Academy on Friday.

Section 2

*Bishop Canevin Crusaders

Eden Christian Academy Warriors

Winchester Thurston Bears

Nazareth Prep Saints

Section 3

*Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Jeannette Jayhawks

Serra Catholic Eagles

Clairton Bears

• Springdale can clinch with a win at Greensburg Central Catholic on Friday.

Section 4

*Fort Cherry Rangers

Burgettstown Blue Devils

Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers

• The winner of Frazier at Beth-Center will clinch a playoff spot. Even though Frazier has a one-game lead, a Beth-Center victory gives it a sweep of the season series.

Class A

11 of a possible 15 teams have clinched a playoff spot

Section 1

*Rochester Rams

Union Scotties

Avella Eagles

Carlynton Cougars

• Cornell can clinch with victories over Western Beaver and at home against Carlynton on Friday.

Section 2

*Monessen Greyhounds

West Greene Pioneers

California Trojans

Jefferson-Morgan Rockets

Section 3

*Imani Christian Saints

Neighborhood Academy Bulldogs

Aquinas Academy Crusaders

• Hillel Academy, Summit Academy and St. Joseph’s are all tied for fourth place. On Friday, Hillel Academy visits Imani Christian, Summit Academy is at Neighborhood Academy, and St. Joe’s hosts Aquinas Academy. If two of them or all three of them end up tied for fourth place, the tied teams will qualify because they were all 2-2 head to head against each other.