PIAA basketball playoffs
Boys
Class 4A
Quarterfinals
Deer Lakes (14-14) vs. Obama Academy (18-9)
7 p.m. Friday at North Allegheny
District seeds: Deer Lakes 7-4; Obama Academy 8-1
Winner plays: Winner of 12-5 Carver E&S (22-6)/7-3 North Catholic (21-6) Monday in PIAA semifinals (Time, site TBD)
Players to watch: Collin Rodgers, Deer Lakes; Eric James, Obama Academy
Layup lines: Deer Lakes advanced to the quarterfinals with a 46-37 win over Hickory in the PIAA second round. Collin Rodgers had 18 points, and Evan Moore added 17 while battling foul trouble for the Lancers, who rebounded from losses to Quaker Valley and North Catholic in the WPIAL tournament to defeat Huntingdon in the PIAA first round. The Lancers shot 12 of 14 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter to seal the second-round win. Deer Lakes last advanced past the quarterfinals in 2022 when it was the PIAA runner-up to West Catholic. … Obama Academy edged Erie’s Cathedral Prep, 70-69, in the second round, knocking off the District 10 champion. Naron Jackson’s putback with 7.6 seconds left was the difference. Eric James had 25 points, and Zion Conner added 23 points and 12 rebounds. Obama Academy used a 24-15 run in the fourth quarter to seal the win. The Eagles reached the PIAA tournament by knocking off Allderdice to win their second City League championship. Obama then beat Clearfield in a subregional game and Warren in the PIAA first round. The Eagles have won seven straight games.