Welcome to the final day of the final four in the WPIAL basketball playoffs with teams in boys Class 5A and 3A and girls Class 6A and 2A owning the bright semifinals spotlight.
They are the last two district champions in Class 5A boys basketball with a combined 12 WPIAL titles.
The two powers are a combined 41-5 this season and have already met twice this year, so there are no secrets.
No. 4 Moon, the 2024 champion, is set to battle 2025 winner No. 1 Chartiers Valley in the rubber game of their season series with the tipoff slated for 7:30 p.m. at Peters Township.
The Tigers are 20-3 and have won eight straight games, including a couple of double-digit victories in the postseason.
Moon beat Penn-Trafford by 15 points in the first round and followed up with a 14-point triumph over Gateway in the quarterfinals.
Both times it was senior guard Jackson Bauman leading the way, scoring 20 points against the Warriors and 17 in the win over the Gators.
The reigning champion Colts are 21-2 and have been victorious in six straight. They also have two wins in the postseason, but it has been more of a battle.
CV defeated Montour for a third time this year in the first round by 13 points with senior Julius Best leading with 16 points, but then the Colts escaped an upset bid by Shaler in the quarterfinals, 69-66, with senior Julian Semplice scoring 29 points.
In the first meeting this year between the two Section 4-5A foes, Chartiers Valley had a big lead at the half, then held on to beat Moon, 46-43.
In the rematch, the Tigers evened up the season series at home with a win over the Colts in another tight game, 52-49.
In the other 5A semifinals matchup, No. 3 Thomas Jefferson (22-2) faces No. 10 Hampton (15-7) at Mt. Lebanon at 7:30 p.m.
The Section 3-5A champion Jaguars have won six in a row, including a seven-point win over Latrobe in the first round with Nick Trklja scoring 27 points, then a victory over Penn Hills behind 28 points from Justin Fry, 74-69.
The Talbots’ winning streak has reached seven games thanks to a first-round playoff win over Peters Township by five points, and a one-point triumph over Ringgold.
In both wins, Jonas Cupps led the way on the scoresheet with 11 and 13 points.
Calm on right side in boys 3A
While there has been great turmoil on the left side of the bracket in the boys Class 3A tournament with the exit of seeds No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5, all has gone as planned on the right side.
There, No. 2 Aliquippa will battle No. 3 South Park for a spot in the 2026 3A finals when they collide at Fox Chapel at 7:30 p.m.
The Quips are 16-6 and one win away from a fourth consecutive trip to the district championship game.
Aliquippa is 3-3 in its last six games but 2-0 in the playoffs following a 20-point rout of Sto-Rox with Qa’lil Goode leading the way with 18 points. In the quarterfinals, the Quips rolled past Seton LaSalle, 50-33.
The Section 3-3A champion Eagles are 20-3 and have won six straight.
Cooper Hochendoner scored 31 points in a first-round win over Riverside, 58-29, and Luke Scarff contributed 23 points in a quarterfinal victory over Ligonier Valley, 56-39.
In the other 3A semifinal, two teams fighting for a spot in the title game as well as the postseasons glass slipper meet when No. 8 South Allegheny (15-8) takes on No. 13 Shady Side Academy (10-14) at North Allegheny at 7:30 p.m.
The WPIAL’s top scorer, senior Drew Cook, has 45 postseason points in leading the Gladiators to a first-round win over Ellwood City, 52-50, and a big upset of top-seeded Mohawk, 64-63.
The Bulldogs have stunned No. 4 Bishop Canevin and No. 5 Southmoreland in this postseason.
Kai Lamberson led SSA in the first round with 32 points and Paul Benec had a team-high 20 points in the quarterfinals.
South Allegheny defeated Section 3-3A for Shady Side Academy twice in the regular season by scores of 56-38 and 56-36.
Title game rematch
Tuesday will mark the sixth time in the last two seasons that these girls Class 6A powers have faced each other, including in the 2025 district championship game.
No. 2 Norwin (18-4) once again faces No. 3 Upper St. Clair (12-11) in a 7 p.m. tipoff at Keystone Oaks on Tuesday.
The Knights and Panthers split during the regular season a year ago, and then in the rubber game at the Petersen Events Center, USC picked up the win, 45-40. Rylee Kalocay had 13 points for USC and Ava Christopher paced Norwin with 11 points.
However, this season, Norwin claimed wins in both regular season meetings against Upper St. Clair: 65-51 on the road and 46-32 at home.
Following long layoffs thanks to a first-round bye, the Knights cruised past Hempfield in the quarterfinals, 57-42. Lenyn Brozeski had 17 points for Norwin.
The Panthers prevailed at home over North Allegheny, 41-33, thanks to 14 points from Ryan Prunzik.
In the other girls 6A final four game, top-seeded Canon-McMillan plays No. 5 Seneca Valley at Mt. Lebanon at 6 p.m.
The Section 2-6A champion Big Macs are 19-4 and have won eight straight, including a quarterfinal victory over Mt. Lebanon, 37-24. Faye Saunders led Canon-Mac in the win with 11 points.
The Section 1-6A co-champion Raiders improved to 14-6 with a quarterfinals triumph at Pine-Richland, 31-29, with Natalie Hambry leading SV with 13 points.
Identical section champs
No Tuesday semifinals matchup may be more even than the one in girls Class 2A.
There, No. 2 Winchester Thurston is set to take on No. 3 Chartiers-Houston at Peters Township at 6 p.m.
Both teams were a perfect 10-0 in winning section crowns, the Bears in Section 2, the Buccaneers in Section 3.
Following two playoff victories, both teams are 20-3 this season.
DaShae Collins scored 30 points in a first-round win for Winchester Thurston over Bentworth, 67-13. Jasmine Hollis scored 25 points in WT’s quarterfinals win over Burgettstown, 59-20.
Ali Wingard led with 14 points in Char-Houston’s opening round rout of South Side, 70-16, while Mackenzie Walsh led with 20 points in a quarterfinal triumph over defending champion Aliquippa, 52-44.
Last year in the 2A quarterfinals, the Bears defeated the Buccaneers, 40-27.
In a nonsection game this season Jan. 20, Winchester Thurston won at Chartiers-Houston, 60-41.
In the other 2A girls semifinal, Section 1-2A foes collide for a third time when top-seeded Neshannock (20-3) plays No. 5 Rochester (14-9) at North Allegheny at 6 p.m.
The 2025 runner-up Lancers have crushed Brentwood and Laurel by 60 and 38 points to reach the final four. Payton Newman was high scorer in both games for Neshannock with 22 and 24 points.
The Rams first defeated Apollo-Ridge, 48-40, and then knocked off Fort Cherry, 47-39. Kamryn Newman led Rochester in both wins with 16 and 19 points.
In the two earlier meetings this season, Neshannock beat Rochester both times by scores of 89-35 and 70-32.
Hoops consolation Tuesday
The WPIAL is once again using consolation games to determine PIAA basketball qualifiers and their seeding from District 7.
There are four girls and one boys game set for Tuesday.
• In girls 5A, Peters Township (15-10) is at Penn-Trafford (19-6) for the No. 3 seed at 7:30 p.m., Baldwin (20-5) visits Indiana (21-4) for the No. 5 seed at 7 p.m. and Fox Chapel (15-10) hosts Trinity (17-8) for the No. 7 seed at 6 p.m.
• In girls 3A, Beaver Falls (22-2) is home to Seton LaSalle (16-9) for the No. 3 seed at 7 p.m.
• In boys Class A, Monessen (12-10) takes on Nazareth Prep (9-12) at Penn-Trafford for the No. 3 seed at 6 p.m.
Tuesday on Trib HSSN
There are four broadcasts you can listen to at TribHSSN.TribLive.com on the 24th day of February.
WPIAL Boys Basketball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 5A Semifinals: Thomas Jefferson vs. Hampton at 7:30 p.m. on WJPA at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Girls Basketball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 6A Semifinals: Seneca Valley vs. Canon-McMillan at 6 p.m. on WJPA-FM 95.3 at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Girls Basketball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A Semifinals: Rochester vs. Neshannock at 6 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at Trib HSSN at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
WPIAL Girls Basketball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A Semifinals: Chartiers-Houston vs. Winchester Thurston at 6 p.m. on WJPA-AM 1450 at TribHSSN.TribLive.com