JEFFERSON HILLS, Pa.; February 12, 2024 -- The Thomas Jefferson High School boys and girls basketball teams have learned their WPIAL Class 5A playoff opponents, with the Section Champion boys team earning the No. 4 seed and a first-round home game.
The TJ girls won their last two games to clinch a WPIAL playoff berth and will host a preliminary round game on Friday, February 16.
Led by Coach Dom DeCicco, the TJ boys squad (18-3, 10-0) will host No. 13 seed Penn-Trafford on Monday, February 19 at approximately 8 p.m. (second game of a doubleheader). The Jaguars, who host Belle Vernon tonight at 7:30 p.m. in their regular season finale, won Class 5A, Section 1 with a 10-0 record, securing their first Section title since delivering back-to-back Section crowns in 2013 and '14.
Penn-Trafford tied for third at 5-5 in 5A, Section 3 and is 11-11 overall. The winner of the TJ- Penn-Trafford contest will meet the victor of the Peters Twp.-Kiski Area game in the quarterfinals on February 22 (location, time TBD).
Directed by Coach Matt Gould, the TJ girls team will host Penn Hills for a 7 p.m. tip on Friday. The Jaguars defeated Greater Latrobe and Connellsville last week to finish 6-6 in Class 5A, Section 3 to secure a WPIAL playoff berth.
Penn Hills finished in a tie for third in 5A Section 1 with a 7-5 mark and is 10-11 overall. The winner of the TJ-Penn Hills contest will travel to No. 1 seed Oakland Catholic for a 7 p.m. first round contest on Tuesday, February 20.
The WPIAL boys and girls basketball championship games will be played February 29-March 2 at the Petersen Events Center at the University of Pittsburgh.
Tickets for all WPIAL Tournament basketball games can be purchased in advance starting Tuesday, Feb. 13 at https://gofan.co/WPIAL and are $7 for adults and $5 for students through the semifinals. All tickets sold at the gate will be $7 through the semifinals.
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