Any doubts that were had about the Lincoln Park Leopards following their loss to Aliquippa in the WPIAL Championship were quashed Saturday afternoon on the hardwood of Gateway High School.
The Leopards dominated the Brockway Rovers by a score of 69-22. Nelly Cummings led Lincoln Park with 19, while Jarett Esposito and Hunter Miller each had 6 to lead Brockway. Esposito joins Lincoln Park’s Dermotti Welling (8) as CCBC Players of The Game.
Lincoln Park faces either Washington or Greenville in the second round of the PIAA Playoffs. Broackway ends its season with a record of 12-14.
It seemed that Ambridge was taking advantage of South Fayette’s post-championship frustrations for the first three quarters. But the Lady Lions took control late in the third quarter, and pushed the turbo button to win by double digits and end the valiant effort, as well as the season, of the Lady Bridgers.
South Fayette defeated Ambridge 56-37 in the first round of the Girls’ Class AAA PIAA Playoffs. The Lady Lions were led by Emily Anderson with 22 points, while the Lady Bridgers were led by Sydney Raybold with 19. Raybold joins South Fayette’s Sam Kosmacki as the CCBC Players of The Game today.
South Fayette will either play Mars or Mercyhurst Prep in the second round of the state playoffs. Ambridge’s season comes to an end at 21-6.
It’s not often that a championship team is described as not being “exceptionally talented”. But that’s how head coach Doug Biega described his team to Beaver County Radio following Beaver Falls’ 56-45 win over Highlands in the WPIAL AAA Boys’ Championship Friday night at the Petersen Events Center.
“My 2005, 2012, and 2013 teams were exceptionally talented. This team is not.” said Biega. “This team found a way to win a WPIAL Championship this year, and I’m very proud of the effort it took to do that.”
The Tigers jumped out to an early 15-6 lead after one period thanks to an 11-0 run, and kept its lead by a combination of missed shots by the Highland Golden Rams (11% 3-point shooting), and strong guard play by Donovan Jeter, whose countless defensive rebounds kept Mars out of the Tigers’ zone.
Josh Creach led the Tigers in scoring with 17 points, including a perfect 7-7, while Mitch DeZort scored 16 for the Golden Rams. Both players were named the CCBC Players of The Game for this title bout.
Beaver Falls wins its 10th WPIAL title in school history, its first since 2013. The championship is the fourth for Biega, who has coached the Tigers since 1999. This is also the Tigers’ first Class AAA title since 1994.
The WPIAL (District 7) Champion Tigers take on Steel Valley (7th seed out of the WPIAL) in the first round of the PIAA Playoffs next weekend. Highlands takes on Girard, the 3-seed out of District 10.
The crew of Bob Barrickman, Tom Hays, and Bruce Frey have tonight’s scoring recap, as well as the interviews with Josh Creach and Doug Biega of Beaver Falls.
Australian author Clive James once wrote: “It is only when they go wrong that machines remind you how powerful they are.”
The Quigley Catholic Girls would disagree with that notion, because they saw the power of the machine that is Vincentian Lady Royals Basketball, and the machine showed nothing wrong to diagnose.
Vincentian rolls into the WPIAL Championships once again with a 91-50 win over the Quigley Catholic Lady Spartans. Vincentian will try to now win their 5th consecutive WPIAL Girls’ A Championship against CW North Catholic on Saturday.
Gabrielle Smith led the Lady Spartans with 26 points (topping all scorers), while Tori Cash led the Lady Royals with 19. These ladies earned marks as tonight’s CCBC Players of The Game.
The good news for the Lady Spartans is that they will remain alive, and start their quest in the PIAA Playoffs next weekend.
A 6-0 run to end the first half, followed by a 10-point advance in the third quarter, and the Aliquippa Quips make their return to the WPIAL Championship game.
The Quips beat the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurians 71-62 at North Allegheny on Wednesday night.
Domenic Rullo led the Centurians with 19, tying him with Sheldon Jeter for the game’s leading scorer (Jeter led the Quips). Appropriately, these men also share honors as the CCBC Players of The Game.
The Quips will play Lincoln Park in the WPIAL Championship for AA Boys on Saturday afternoon, with tip-off scheduled for 1:00 at the Petersen Events Center.
A 15-6 run through the second quarter and the consistent play of guard Nick Aloi helped the Lincoln Park Leopards advance to the WPIAL AA Championship on Saturday.
Lincoln Park held off a stingy Bishop Canevin Crusader squad to win 59-53. Aloi led all scorers with 25 points, while Mitchell King led Bishop Canevin with 16. These two earned honors as tonight’s CCBC Players of The Game.
Lincoln Park plays Aliquippa in the WPIAL Championship for AA Boys on Saturday afternoon, with tip-off scheduled for 1:00 at the Petersen Events Center.
When the playoff atmosphere was as intense as it was at the Ambridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday night, it is in the best wishes of those watching (or listening) that the game would live up to, or exceed, the same level of intensity.
Mars lived up to it, and nearly exceeded it. But Beaver Falls exceeded it, and they earned the reward of doing so with a trip to Friday night’s WPIAL AAA Championship at the Petersen Events Center.
The Tigers hung on late to win 59-58 over the Fighting Planets on Beaver County Radio.
Josh Creach led Beaver Falls (and all scorers) with 25 points, while three players led Mars with 12 points, including John Castello, who shares honors with Creach as CCBC Players of The Game.
Beaver Falls plays Highlands in the AAA Championship on Friday night, with tipoff set for 9:00pm. That game will be heard on 1230 WBVP and 1460 WMBA.
Bob Barrickman and Tom Hays had tonight’s call, and they have this full scoring recap for beavercountyradio.com.
