WPIAL champions Chartiers Valley in Class 5A and Neighborhood Academy in Class A both played in the PIAA final four a year ago.
But for City League champion Obama Academy, this is the first time the Eagles have reached this summit in the state playoffs. In fact, it is rare air for any District 8 boys basketball team.
The last City League team to reach the PIAA semifinals was 10 years ago when Allderdice defeated Reading in the 2016 Class 4A final four.
It will be Pittsburgh against Philadelphia in one of the PIAA Class 4A semifinals Monday when Obama Academy battles Carver Engineering & Sciences at Waynesboro at 6 p.m.
Prior to this season, Obama Academy had qualified for the PIAA playoffs five times and had a combined record of 2-5, reaching as far as the PIAA second round once in 2020 after beating Penn Hills in the first round.
After ending Allderdice’s run of District 8 titles, the Eagles defeated a couple of District 10 foes, first getting by Warren in the first round, 55-50, then stunning the top-ranked team in the state in Cathedral Prep in the second round, 70-69.
In the state quarterfinals, Obama pulled away with a big fourth quarter to end Deer Lakes’ surprising postseason run, 53-41.
In all three state playoff wins, Eric James has led the way for the Eagles with 11, 25 and 23 points.
Carver Engineering & Science is the No. 5 seed out of District 12, but it has bumped its record up to 23-6 with an upset of Berks Catholic, 16-point triumph over Dallas and the elimination of North Catholic in the quarterfinals, 68-61.
Fareed Brown led the Engineers with 23 points.
In the other 4A semifinal Monday, District 4 champion Lewisburg (25-4) meets the No. 4 seed from District 12 in Devon Prep (8-18) at Hazleton at 7:30 p.m.
Galloping toward more gold
Chartiers Valley has been one of the most successful district boys basketball programs over the last three decades, winning eight WPIAL championships, which is tied for seventh on the all-time list.
But the one thing they haven’t been able to do is win a PIAA championship.
These Colts are now two wins away from their first state crown, but they must first go through a District 3 champion on Monday to get to Hershey on Friday.
Chartiers Valley will take on West York at Altoona at 6 p.m.
The Colts have already defeated two District 3 teams in this state postseason, eliminating Exeter Township and Cocalico in the first two rounds.
In the quarterfinals, CV put its Best foot forward in a win over District 6 champion Johnstown, 42-36, with senior Julius Best leading the way with 18 points.
Chartiers Valley is now 26-2 and has won 11 straight since falling to Moon in late January.
Speaking of the Tigers, they were bounced from the state playoffs in the quarterfinals by West York.
The Bulldogs had a 12-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, and then held on for the 59-53 victory.
West York is now 23-1 with its only loss of the season coming against Class 6A semifinalist Central Dauphin.
In the other Class 5A boys semifinal, the No. 3 seed out of District 12, Monsignor Bonner-Archbishop Prendergast (22-6) will face the No. 5 seed out of District 1 in Upper Moreland (20-9) at Norristown at 7 p.m.
Clarion County bound
The District 7 Class A champions are heading northeast Monday while the District 9 winners are heading southwest. They will meet in the middle (sort of).
Neighborhood Academy from the WPIAL squares off with Elk County Catholic from District 9 at PennWest Clarion at 7 p.m.
The two-time District 7 champion Bulldogs are 24-3 with wins in the PIAA playoffs over St. Joseph Catholic Academy by 18 points, Johnsonburg by 14 points and Conestoga Christian by a mere 42 points.
The D-9 champion Crusaders are 27-2 and own victories over Monessen by 32 points, Serra Catholic by 20 points and Erie First Christian by 15 points.
This is the third time in the last four years Neighborhood Academy and Elk County Catholic have met on the Road to Hershey.
In the 2023 first round, EKC won easily, 67-47.
In the 2025 second round, TNA flipped the script and won 63-44, en route to the Bulldogs’ first state championship.
In the other Class A final four contest, District 3 champion High Point Baptist (17-8) battles District 12 winner Sankofa-Freedom (21-8) at Norristown at 5:30 p.m.
Four-game sweep
There is an old adage in sports that you hear a lot in the postseason, “it’s hard to beat a good team three times in one season.”
Well, how about four times.
That is what Shady Side Academy hopes to do when it battles rival Greensburg Central Catholic in a PIAA Class 3A girls basketball semifinals at 7 p.m. Monday at Norwin.
During the regular season, the Bulldogs swept the two Section 2-3A games against the Centurions, winning on the road, 66-59, and later at home, 54-43.
The two kept stacking wins in the WPIAL playoffs until they collided in the finals for a second straight year.
A year after GCC registered a title winner, SSA got sweet revenge by winning the rematch, 57-40
Senior Karis Thomas led the Bulldogs with 21 points while Avery Jones scored 14 for the Centurions.
In that game, Greensburg Central Catholic scoring star Erica Gribble was limited to nine points, but she has bounced back in the state playoffs.
Greensburg Central Catholic improved to 22-7 with a state quarterfinal victory over Camp Hill Trinity in which Gribble led the way with 25 points.
Shady Side Academy is now 26-2 with 17 straight victories after rolling past Central Cambria in the PIAA third round, 59-32.
Leah Buford led the Bulldogs with 20 points.
In the other girls 3A semifinal, District 2 runner-up Holy Redeemer (21-8) takes on District 4 champion Hughesville (27-3) at Hazleton at 6 p.m.
D-10 conquerors
Some folks, especially up north, thought that chances were good that the one PIAA Class 2A girls semifinal would be a District 10 title game rematch.
The District 7 and District 6 champs made sure that would be a hard no.
Instead, it will be Neshannock doing battle against Bishop McCort on Monday at Armstrong at 7 p.m.
The WPIAL-winning Lancers improved to 25-3 this season with a PIAA quarterfinal victory over Kennedy Catholic on Friday, 61-56.
Senior Payton Newman led Neshannock with 29 points. She has now scored 50 points in the last two Lancers’ victories.
Bishop McCort is now 20-8 after taking care of Wilmington in the other state quarterfinal, 56-38.
This is the second time the Lancers and Crimson Crushers have squared off in the PIAA girls basketball playoffs.
The first meeting was 10 years ago when Bishop McCort defeated Neshannock in a 2016 Class 2A first round game, 55-29.
In the other 2A semifinal, District 4 runner-up Southern Columbia (15-13) goes up against District 5 champion Berlin-Brothersvalley (24-5) at Penns Valley at 7 p.m.
6A girls
Canon-McMillan carried the banner of the WPIAL into the quarterfinals of the girls PIAA 6A playoffs.
With its loss, the semifinals are void of any District 7 schools.
Here are the matchups for the two 6A girls semifinals:
• District 3 runner-up Dallastown (26-3) faces District 6 champion Altoona (22-4) at Big Spring at 7 p.m.
• District 1 winner Upper Dublin (27-2) goes up against District 12 champ Archbishop Carroll (24-5) at Bensalem at 7 p.m.
PIHL Class 2A and Division 2 finals
Like basketball, the high school hockey season enters its final week.
The PIHL will hold championship doubleheaders Monday and Tuesday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.
On Monday, there will be two new champions crowned with the Class 2A and Division 2 finals.
The Penguins Cup Class 2A finals will get the ball rolling when two Westmoreland County rivals square off as top-seeded Hempfield (18-3-1-0) battles No. 3 Penn-Trafford (17-5-0-0) at 6:15 p.m.
The Spartans have defeated defending Class 2A champion Cathedral Prep and Bethel Park in the PIHL playoffs thus far.
The Warriors have outscored Shaler and Latrobe in the postseason by a combined 12-5.
In the PIHL Division 2 championship game, No. 5 Burrell (14-4-0-4) will take on No. 3 Ringgold (15-4-2-1) at 8:45 p.m.
The Buccaneers shut out Connellsville in the quarterfinals, then upended defending champion and top seed Morgantown, W.Va., in overtime in the semifinals, 3-2.
The Rams have two one-score victories in the 2026 playoffs thus far, defeating Knoch, 5-4, and edging Neshannock, 3-2.
Fingers crossed on the ballfields
On a day that is expected to be wet with dropping temps, there are 22 nonsection baseball and 29 softball games on the early season schedule.
South Fayette baseball has two games slated for Baseball City, Fla., while Franklin Regional softball is slated for a game at the Ripken Experience in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Monday on Trib HSSN
There are four broadcasts and three podcasts you can watch or listen to at TribHSSN.TribLive.com on the 16th day of March.
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast featuring WPIAL basketball Team of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast featuring WPIAL girls basketball Player of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
Video Stream: Rebel Yell Podcast featuring WPIAL boys basketball Player of the Week on the TribLive High School Sports Network at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Boys Basketball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 5A Semifinals: Chartiers Valley vs. West York at 6 p.m. on WJPA at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIAA Girls Basketball Playoffs Audio Stream – Class 2A Semifinals: Neshannock vs. Bishop McCort at 7 p.m. on Lawrence County Sports Net at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIHL Hockey Penguins Cup Playoffs Video Stream – Class 2A Championship: Hempfield vs. Penn-Trafford at 6:15 p.m. on Tenband TV at TribHSSN.TribLive.com
PIHL Hockey Penguins Cup Playoffs Video Stream – Division 2 Championship: Burrell vs. Ringgold at 8:45 p.m. on Tenband TV at TribHSSN.TribLive.com