The girls basketball playoff field is set with 81 teams in six classifications.
Class 6A girls will have one first-round match before kicking into full gear in the quarterfinals. Both Class 5A and 2A have perfect fields of 16, 3A is one short with 15 teams, 4A is two short with 14 total teams, and finally, Class A has only 11 teams with five first-round byes.
The brackets will be unveiled Monday afternoon. Don’t miss the WPIAL Basketball Playoff Pairings Show on Trib HSSN at 2:10 p.m.
Here are my two cents that if they hit, you can remember for years to come. If they flop, feel free to forget where you read this.
Class 6A
Quarterfinals
No. 8 North Hills/Mt. Lebanon winner at No. 1 Canon-McMillan
No. 5 North Allegheny at No. 4 Norwin
No. 7 Hempfield at No. 2 Pine-Richland
No. 6 Upper St. Clair at No. 3 Seneca Valley
Don’s take: Back and forth, this was a tough to determine who would get No. 1. Pine-Richland has won seven in a row including a big section tying win over Seneca Valley on Thursday while Canon-McMillan has been victorious in six straight. The nod goes to the Big Macs for winning Section 2 outright. A third Rams-Raiders matchup could take place in the semifinals. No matter the circumstances, North Allegheny and Norwin usually collide in the postseason so we made it happen again.
Class 5A
First round
No. 16 Kiski Area at No. 1 South Fayette
No. 9 Latrobe at No. 8 Fox Chapel
No. 13 Chartiers Valley at No. 4 Indiana
No. 12 Peters Township at No. 5 Plum
No. 15 Mars at No. 2 Thomas Jefferson
No. 10 Trinity at No. 7 West Allegheny
No. 14 Chartiers Valley No. 3 Baldwin
No. 11 Penn Hills at No. 6 Penn-Trafford
Don’s take: As per usual, the Class 5A bracket is balanced. However, everybody might be considered a longshot going up against South Fayette. Thomas Jefferson is a strong No. 2 and Baldwin has an impressive resume, including a victory over Penn-Trafford earlier this season, so despite losing to TJ on Friday, the Highlanders slot into No. 3. Indiana has the best team defense in the class, allowing only 33.4 points per game. Fox Chapel has momentum after a victory over Section 1 champion Plum to close out the regular season.
Class 4A
First round
No. 1 Blackhawk – Bye
No. 9 South Park at No. 8 Hampton
No. 13 Hopewell at No. 4 Belle Vernon
No. 12 Lincoln Park at No. 5 Elizabeth Forward
No. 2 Oakland Catholic – Bye
No. 10 Mt. Pleasant at No. 7 Burrell
No. 14 Laurel Highlands at No. 3 North Catholic
No. 11 Freeport at No. 6 Beaver
Don’s take: Another great debate for the No. 1 spot here between Blackhawk and Oakland Catholic. Either way, both teams will receive first-round byes as the top two seeds. I went with the Cougars on top due to perfection, but they might want to decline that invitation since the top seed has not been kind to them in the last three years. Blackhawk has the top offense in the class while Oakland Catholic sports the top defense. Belle Vernon is thought to be a program on the rise with no senior starters; however, after winning the Section 3 title, is the future now?
Class 3A
First round
No. 1 Shady Side Academy – Bye
No. 9 Riverside at No. 8 Avonworth
No. 13 McGuffey at No. 4 Quaker Valley
No. 12 Sto-Rox at No. 5 Seton LaSalle
No. 15 South Allegheny at No. 2 Beaver Falls
No. 10 Deer Lakes at No. 7 Waynesburg Central
No. 14 Mohawk at No. 3 Greensburg Central Catholic
No. 11 Keystone Oaks at No. 6 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Don’s take: Beaver Falls is undefeated, but the nod for the top seed goes to Shady Side Academy, which will be trying to reach the district championship game for a fourth straight season. Maryland commit Mimi Thiero gives Quaker Valley a chance every time it hits the floor. Greensburg Central Catholic lost both games to Shady Side Academy this season; however, the Centurions were swept in the regular season a year ago before they upended the Bulldogs in the title game.
Class 2A
First round
No. 16 Brentwood at No. 1 Neshannock
No. 9 Apollo-Ridge at No. 8 California
No. 13 Beth-Center at No. 4 Fort Cherry
No. 12 South Side at No. 5 Rochester
No. 15 Bentworth at No. 2 Winchester Thurston
No. 10 Laurel at No. 7 Burgettstown
No. 14 Jeannette at No. 3 Chartiers-Houston
No. 11 Riverview at No. 6 Aliquippa
Don’s take: Neshannock is the team to beat with 13 consecutive victories. The Lancers captured the Section 1 title by three games, yet there is still a lot of love for the other three qualifiers. Rochester is No. 5, defending champion Aliquippa is No. 6 and even fourth-place Laurel claims the No. 10-seed. The other three section champions — Fort Cherry, Chartiers-Houston and Winchester Thurston — are strong as well, but not a long list of true contenders after them.
Class A
First round
No. 1 Aquinas Academy – Bye
No. 9 Eden Christian Academy at No. 8 Bishop Canevin
No. 4 Geibel Catholic – Bye
No. 5 West Greene – Bye
No. 2 Serra Catholic – Bye
No. 10 Clairton at No. 7 Sewickley Academy
No. 3 Union – Bye
No. 11 Monessen at No. 6 St. Joseph
Don’s take: Section 1 champion Aquinas Academy has earned the top-seed thanks to a perfect section record, including two wins over Union. Do the Crusaders have what it takes in the postseason to unseat the Scotties, who are trying to win a fourth straight district championship? Geibel Catholic had been perfect on the season until a section finale loss to Serra Catholic as both the Gators and Eagles carry legit title hopes into the postseason.