Seeking 51: Uniontown closes in another section title as local teams battle for playoff spots
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
As the final week of the WPIAL boys basketball season unfolds the playoff picture is starting to clear up.
There is still much on the line for many local teams.
On the boys side, Uniontown (7-1, 16-3) will be looking to sew up the program’s 51st section championship when it hosts Elizabeth Forward tonight. The Red Raiders wrap up their section slate at Laurel Highlands on Friday, Two victories will give Uniontown the outright Section 3-AAAA title while one will at least give it a share of first place.
Belle Vernon (6-2, 11-6) is lurking one game behind with games against Albert Gallatin tonight and at EF on Friday.
“We are working hard to get the WPIAL-record 51 and want to be one of the top seeds,” said Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky whose team recently went through a 1-3 stretch while battling injuries but bounced back with a 78-56 win over Southmoreland Friday. “This group went 9-1 (in the section) last year and are 7-1 now so 16-2 in the last two years. We have looked really good lately and are getting healthy again.”
The Leopards, Red Raiders and Warriors have already wrapped up playoff spots.
The Colonials (3-5, 8-9) are tied with Southmoreland (3-5, 14-6) for fourth place. The Scotties host Laurel Highlands tonight and then go to Albert Gallatin Friday. A loss by AG or win by Southmoreland tonight would put the Scotties into the postseason, but even in that scenario, the Colonials could still earn a playoff berth with a win Friday to tie for fourth place.
Elizabeth Forward (5-3, 13-6) can finish either second or third.
In Section 4-AAA, Yough (8-1, 15-4) and Mount Pleasant (6-3, 7-10) are in the postseason with the Cougars still on track to earn at least a share of first place.
Yough has games remaining against McGuffey, Charleroi and the Vikings while first-place Washington (10-1, 13-7) plays at Mount Pleasant Friday.
Brownsville (3-8, 8-13) is still in the hunt thanks to a key win over McGuffey last Friday but would need to defeat visiting Charleroi tonight and have McGuffey (4-6, 13-7) lose to Yough tonight and Waynesburg Central Friday to earn a share of fourth place.
Charleroi (2-8,, 7-13) has been eliminated but Waynesburg (2-8, 7-13) would still have a shot to reach the postseason if Brownsville loses to the Cougars and the Highlanders fall to Yough. The Raiders would need wins over Mount Pleasant and at McGuffey in that scenario to qualify by holding the tiebreaker over the Highlanders.
Frazier (5-5, 10-10) holds a two-game lead over Beth-Center for the fourth and final playoff spot out of Section 4-AA. The Bulldogs can still knock the Commodores out, however, if they win at Bentworth tonight while Frazier loses at home to Burgettstown, and then defeat the visiting Commodores Friday. B-C would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to an earlier win at Frazier if the two tie for fourth place.
In Section 2-A, Monessen (7-1, 15-3), West Greene (6-2, 11-7), California (5-3, 6-14) and Jefferson-Morgan (4-4, 12-8) have secured the four playoff spots.
The Greyhounds can wrap up at least a tie for first place with a win either at home tonight over Mapletown or at California Friday. The Pioneers would need a Monessen loss and wins at home tonight against Jefferson-Morgan and at Mapletown on Friday to earn a share of the section crown.
The Rockets and Trojans can each finish anywhere from second to fourth.