WPIAL Class 2A girls basketball championship

No. 1 Neshannock vs. No. 2 Winchester Thurston

11 a.m. Saturday, Petersen Events Center

Audio broadcast:Trib HSSN

WPIAL titles: Neshannock 3 (2022, ‘21, ‘19); Winchester Thurston 2 (2018, ‘17)

Neshannock (21-3)

Coach: Luann Grybowski

Projected starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Cl., Pos.

1, Jaidon Nogay, 5-7, sr., G

2, Sophia Bonner, 5-4, jr., G

5, Ainsley Allison, 5-10, jr., F

12, Nina Medure, 5-3, sr., G

32, Payton Newman, 5-9, sr., F

How they got here: Neshannock defeated No. 16 Brentwood, 76-16, in the first round; No. 9 Laurel, 67-29, in the quarterfinals; and No. 5 Rochester, 73-24, in the semifinals.

Notable: Neshannock has posted dominating performances throughout the season, but the Lancers have taken it to another level in the playoffs. They have outscored their three postseason opponents 216-69. … The Lancers averaged 69.3 ppg this season, which is tops in Class 2A, while allowing just 32.2 (second to Fort Cherry’s 29.8). … The Lancers’ lone losses came against Class 4A finalist Blackhawk, Class 6A Seneca Valley and Bishop Guilfoyle. Neshannock lost to Aliquippa in the 2025 WPIAL championship game. … The Lancers are led by junior guard/forward Payton Newman, who averages 17.4 points and 11 rebounds per game. She scored 20 points in the semifinals. … Guards Sophia Bonner, Nina Medure and Jaidon Nogay, a Kent State softball commit, have also been key scorers. … Coach Luann Grybowski has nearly 700 career victories and has won six WPIAL titles between stints at New Castle and Neshannock.

Winchester Thurston (21-3)

Coach: Brandi Baron

Projected starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Cl., Pos.

5, Ryleigh Tardy, 5-9, sr., F

20, Jasmine Hollins, 5-9, jr., G

21, Aleah Cooper, 5-6, jr., G

22, Jessica Kaufmann, 5-6, jr., G

24, DaShae Cochran, 5-9, sr., G

How they got here: Winchester Thurston beat No. 15 Bentworth, 67-13, in the first round; No. 7 Burgettstown, 59-20, in the quarterfinals; and No. 3 Chartiers-Houston, 49-36, in the semifinals.

Notable: Winchester Thurston had its own share of dominant performances this season. In the playoffs, the Bears held opponents to 13, 20 and 36 points. … The Bears won Section 4 with a 10-0 record. They average 58.1 ppg while allowing just 35.2. … The Bears have won seven straight games since a six-point loss to Aquinas Academy on Jan. 30. Their only other losses were to Quaker Valley and Lincoln Park. … Junior Jasmine Hollins and senior DaShae Cochran have each surpassed 1,000 career points. Hollins averaged 20.6 ppg while Cochran was at 18.5 this season. Cochran is the program’s all-time leading scorer. … Winchester Thurston won back-to-back WPIAL titles in 2017-18. .. The Bears reached the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA playoffs last season.

Next up: The winner will open the PIAA playoffs March 6 against the WPIAL seventh-place finisher. The loser will play the District 5 runner-up.