Boys
Class 5A
Preliminary round
Mars (9-13) at Latrobe (9-12)
7 p.m. Thursday
Winner plays: At 2-Thomas Jefferson (20-2) 7 p.m. Tuesday in first round
Players to watch: Austin Wroblewski, Mars; Ian DeCerb, Latrobe
Layup lines: Mars, a returning semifinalist, tied for fourth in Section 4 behind Chartiers Valley, Lincoln Park and Moon. The Fightin’ Planets average 60.9 points and allow 60.4. They already have a victory at Latrobe this season, winning 63-59 on Dec. 9. Wroblewski had a game-high 23 points. Mars, which has lost five in a row, took Lincoln Park to double overtime. … Latrobe, which boasts one of the biggest frontcourts in the WPIAL, made the quarterfinals last year as a No. 9 seed and made the second round of the PIAA tournament. DeCerb and Andy Tatsch are key returnees from that team. At 6-foot-8, forward Rob Young is a force at times. Latrobe has won three of its last four games.
Class 2A
Preliminary round
Greensburg Central Catholic (6-16) at Union (9-13)
7 p.m. Thursday
Winner plays: At 2-Sewickley Academy (21-0) 7:30 p.m. Monday in first round
Players to watch: Luke Semelka, GCC; Landon Eckert, Union
Layup lines: GCC is in rebuilding mode after graduation and departures of players and coaches set the program up for a hard reset. The Centurions went 26-4 and made the PIAA semifinals before falling to Sewickley Academy last year. Semelka and James Botti are the only returning players with varsity minutes. They have tried to mesh with a young group that includes Tommy Dlugos, a budding freshman. … Union upset then-No. 1 seed GCC in last year’s WPIAL quarters, 44-42. The Scotties took fifth in Section 4, which had co-champions in OLSH and Neshannock. They have won four of their last seven games. They beat another Westmoreland County team, Monessen, 67-56. Both teams have new head coaches. Darren Berkley replaced longtime Scotties coach Mark Stanley.