Let the games of the 2026 WPIAL basketball playoffs begin.
The new name is “play-in” games, and the old school name was “pigtail” matchups, but they are officially called “preliminary round” contests and there are six of them, all on the boys side and all set for Thursday.
Three of the games will determine the 14th through 16th seeds in the boys Class 5A bracket and for all six teams, they might feel like the playoffs actually began this past Friday.
All six had to win to even get into the postseason. Four did and two, Montour and Mars out of Section 4-5A, were tied and both lost; however, because they split in the regular season, they both qualified.
In the game to determine the No. 16 seed, Montour visits a McKeesport team that finished tied for fourth place in Section 1-5A.
The Spartans are 8-14 and suffered through a four-game and five-game losing skid during the regular season.
Montour had won four straight before falling to Moon in overtime in its final section game and losing to Ringgold in the season finale.
The Tigers are 10-11 and despite stunning section winner Gateway to earn a playoff berth in a slow-down contest, 25-24, McKeesport enters the postseason having lost four of its last five games.
In the battle for the No. 14 seed, Mars also is on the road as it travels to Latrobe.
The Fightin’ Planets started out with a 5-1 record before finishing 9-13 for the season. Following three straight wins in mid-January, Mars lost its final five games.
The Wildcats finished in the three-way tie for fourth place in Section 1-5A. Latrobe is 9-12 this season and has won two straight and three of its last four games.
Finally for the No. 15 seed, Ringgold is home to Laurel Highlands.
The Rams knocked off Trinity on the final night of section play to earn a playoff berth as the fourth-place team out of Section 3-5A.
Ringgold began the season at 6-1 and finished 13-9 overall with back-to-back wins to conclude the regular season.
The Mustangs finished tied with McKeesport and Latrobe after upending Penn-Trafford on the final night of section play.
Laurel Highlands is 13-8 and is on a roll, winning four straight games.
The Montour-McKeesport winner will play top-seeded Chartiers Valley in the first round, the Laurel Highlands-Ringgold victor takes on No. 2 Lincoln Park in Midland, and the Mars-Latrobe winner visits No. 3 Thomas Jefferson, all on Tuesday.
All three games on Thursday tip off at 7 p.m.
Not as bloated 2A
A year ago, the WPIAL boys Class 2A playoff field was huge.
There were 21 teams that qualified for the playoffs, meaning there were five preliminary round games.
This season, 19 teams earned postseason berths, meaning like Class 5A, there are three play-in games.
Four of the six teams in action Thursday also had to play a pigtail-round game last season.
The two exceptions are the teams facing off for the No. 15 seed when Greensburg Central Catholic visits Union at 7 p.m.
In the 2025 brackets, the Centurions were the No.1 seed and the Scotties were No. 8.
After Union defeated Fort Cherry in the 8-9 game, it had to face top-seeded GCC.
Lucas Stanley and Jordyn Kelly each scored 14 points as the Scotties stunned the Centurions, 44-42. Union went on to reach the district finals and fall to Jeannette.
This year, Union finished fifth in Section 4-2A with a 9-13 record. The Scotties have won two of their last three games.
It has been a rough season for Greensburg Central Catholic with only six wins and 16 losses. The Centurions finished in fifth place in Section 1-2A to secure a playoff spot, but enter the playoffs on a three-game losing streak.
The winner will visit No. 2 Sewickley Academy on Monday.
Here are the other two Class 2A boys preliminary round games.
• Beth-Center visits Brentwood at 7 p.m. Both teams finished with identical 12-10 records with the Bulldogs in fourth place in Section 3-2A and the Spartans in fourth place in Section 2-2A. The winner is the No. 16 seed and visits defending champion Jeannette on Monday.
• Bentworth hosts West Greene at 7 p.m. The Bearcats finished in a tie for third place in Section 1-2A with an overall record of 14-6. The Pioneers were 7-13 and ended up in fifth place in Section 3-2A. The winner is the No. 14 seed and visits Our Lady of the Sacred Heart on Monday.
Gold on the range, lanes
There are two high school championship events slated for Thursday.
The 2026 WPIAL individual rifle finals will take place at the Dormont-Mt. Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club in Canonsburg.
Junior Jackson Jungling of Butler had a perfect score to win the 2025 WPIAL individual rifle title.
Also, the WPIBL girls team bowling championships will take place Thursday at AMF Mt. Lebanon.
Thursday on Trib HSSN
There are three broadcasts you can listen to at TribHSSN.TribLive.com on the ninth day of February.
WPIAL Boys Basketball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A Preliminary Round: Greensburg Central Catholic at Union at 7 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Boys Basketball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A Preliminary Round: Beth-Center at Brentwood at 7 p.m. on WJPA-AM 1450 at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Boys Basketball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A Preliminary Round: West Greene at Bentworth at 7 p.m. on WJPA-FM 95.3 at TribHSSN.TribLive.com