WPIAL hoops

With 1:48 remaining in the fourth quarter of the WPIAL Class AAAA girls championship, Mt. Lebanon leads Fox Chapel, 46-22. Hard to believe but the Blue Devils are about to win their first WPIAL title.

There's about 40 minutes to tip-off for the Quad-A boys championship between Peters Township (22-2) and its Section 4 rival Mt. Lebanon (21-4). The two split the season series.

Here's a couple interesting pregame facts:

1. The winner ensures the section will produce a fifth WPIAL champion the past six years. Chartiers Valley (2004), Upper St. Clair (2005), Mt. Lebanon (2006) and Bethel Park (2007) previously won titles.

2. Washington County has not won a WPIAL basketball championship - boys or girls – since 1992, when Wash High won the girls Class AAA title.

3. The last time a boys team from Washington County won a WPIAL title came in 1990, when Ringgold won in Quad-A and Wash High won the double-A crown.

4. Peters Township has its largest student section of the year, but it's not as large as the Lebo contingent. Several Blue Devils students are dressed in formal wear, with a few fellas wearing pink, orange and green suits.

APB, Where are they now?

Long-time followers of the local high-school basketball scene know that Peters Township produced some strong boys basketball players from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s. A couple weeks ago, the Varsity Letters attempted to track down one of those players, former defensive stopper Steve Daniele.

Today, less than seven hours from Peters Township playing for its first WPIAL boys basketball championship, we're looking for another.

The Varsity Letters issues an All Points Bulletin for former Indians basketball standout Henry Klinar.

Klinar was a key cog on some strong Peters Township teams before an excellent playing career at Westminster College from 1997-2001. Klinar is Westminster's all-time leader in field goals made (655)and ranks fifth in team history with 1,581 points.

Anyone knowing Klinar's whereabouts is urged to contact the Varsity Letters.

Catching up

There's been a lot of activity the past week. Time to catch up with local goings-on.

1. Peters Township is playing for its first WPIAL boys basketball championship Saturday night at 9 p.m. versus Mt. Lebanon. The Indians advanced through three rounds thanks to the great play of Nick Wilcox and a great supporting cast.

Every time Peters Township needs someone to make a big play – whether it's Steve Radke, Craig Wolcott, Jon Kovac, Corey Wilcox or Phil Horensky – the play gets made.

2. California High School hired Brady Barbero as head football coach at its last school board meeting. Barbero was an assistant coach for Joe Kuhns, who took the head coaching position at Waynesburg.

Barbero's hire looks like a good fit for the Trojans from this perspective.

Plus, Brady's dad is John Barbero, who has been the long-time public address announcer for the Pittsburgh Penguins. No word on whether John will be the P.A. for California home games.

3. Trinity's Chelsea Sumney became the first cross country runner in school history to receive a full scholarship when she signed a letter of intent to run at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Shaina Sumney, Chelsea's twin sister, will join the UNC-G team on a partial scholarship.

4. Can't wait to see how the local Class AA teams – South Fayette boys and girls, Washington boys and girls – fare in the state playoffs. All four proved capable of making a run with their play in the WPIAL tournament.

5. Bad timing on the resignation of Steve Bucci as Canon-McMillan baseball coach. Bucci was a good coach with good talent at the right time and it led to a state championship. Here's wishing Bucci the best of luck in the future and here's hoping Canon-McMillan finds a quick soloution to keep a promising season on track.

Little big men

Here's an interesting read from one of my favorite sports writers – ESPN.com's Pat Forde:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3927967&sportCat=highschool

Makes an interesting argument in the big school-small school debate.

Picking the winners, WPIAL semifinals

The Varsity Letters slipped slightly during the quarterfinals, correctly predicting winners in 23 of the games. For the entire WPIAL postseason, the record is at 99-25 (79.8 percent).

Boys
Class AAAA
Peters Township over Seneca Valley, Mt. Lebanon over North Hills
Class AAA
Chartiers Valley over Highlands, Hampton over Moon
Class AA
South Fayette over Jeannette, North Catholic over Monessen
Class A
Clairton over Sewickley Academy, Serra Catholic over Neshannock

Girls
Class AAAA
Mt. Lebanon over Oakland Catholic, Fox Chapel over Gateway
Class AAA
New Castle over South Park, West Mifflin over Indiana
Class AA
Sto-Rox over OLSH, Seton-La Salle over South Fayette
Class A
North Catholic over Vincentian Academy, Mt. Alvernia over Quigley Catholic

Local semifinal capsules

Boys
Class AAAA
Peters Township (21-2) vs. Seneca Valley (16-7)
Date, time, place: Wednesday, 8 p.m., North Allegheny High School
Key wins: Peters Township – McKeesport, Washington, Upper St. Clair (twice), Mt. Lebanon, Central Catholic; Seneca Valley – Aliquippa, North Hills, Central Catholic, Upper St. Clair
Leading scorers: Peters Township, Nick Wilcox (21.4), Craig Wolcott (16.0); Seneca Valley, C.J. Brown (14.0).
Bits and pieces: Peters Township has never played for a WPIAL boys basketball championship. … Seneca Valley coach Victor Giannotta is in his fifth year with the Raiders. Giannotta served as Peters Township’s head coach for three years following a success stint at Sewickley Academy, where he won a PIAA Class A title. … Brown is a Maryland football recruit and considered one of the top quarterbacks prospects in Pennsylvania.
Last 10: Peters Township (9-1), Seneca Valley (8-2).

Class AA
South Fayette (21-3) vs. Jeannette (21-3)
Date, time, place: Wednesday, 8 p.m., Baldwin High School
Key wins: South Fayette – Monessen, Aliquippa, Greensburg Central Catholic, North Catholic, Washington; Jeannette – Monessen, Greensburg Central Catholic (twice), Quaker Valley.
Leading scorers: South Fayette, Mike Lamberti (15.9), Pat Zedreck (11.9), Mike Burroughs (11.5); Jeannette, Jordan Hall (23.0).
Bits and pieces: Jeannette beat South Fayette, 64-54, in last year’s WPIAL Class AA quarterfinals at Baldwin. That game went to overtime. … South Fayette was won 18 consecutive, while Jeannette has won 14 in a row. … The semifinal features two teams ranked in the top five according to the Patriot-News of Harrisburg. Jeannette is No. 3, while South Fayette is No. 5. … Some consider Hall to be the top player in WPIAL Class AA. He is also an Ohio State football recruit.
Last 10: South Fayette (10-0), Jeannette (10-0)

Monessen (15-8) vs. North Catholic (22-2)
Date, time, place: Wednesday, 8 p.m., Canon-McMillan High Scool
Key wins: Monessen – Washington, Mohawk, Beaver Falls; North Catholic – South Fayette, Schenley, Seneca Valley, Greensburg Central Catholic, Aliquippa.
Leading scorers: Monessen, Terrance Stepoli (13.0), North Catholic, Jesse Long (16.2), Henry Pwono (14.1).
Bits and pieces – Monessen, the No. 10 seed, has the second most losses of any boys semifinalist (Class AAA Moon, 15-9). … The Greyhounds did not win a non-section game until the playoffs but played a brutal schedule that included South Fayette, Jeannette, Uniontown, Upper St. Clair and Bethel Park. … North Catholic may be the best interior team in the classification.
Last 10: Monessen (8-2), North Catholic (8-2).

Girls
Class AA
South Fayette (20-5) vs. Seton-La Salle (20-4)
Date, time, place: Wednesday, 6 p.m., Baldwin High School
Key wins: South Fayette – Washington, OLSH, Serra Catholic, Burrell, Beaver. Seton-La Salle – OLSH (twice), South Fayette (twice), Chartiers Valley, Riverside.
Leading scorers: Seton-La Salle, Kristen Gattuso (14.5).
Bits and pieces: South Fayette is in the semifinals for the first time since 1989. … Both teams play in Section 3-AA and Seton-La Salle swept the regular season series, 47-39 and 37-30. … The Lions are allowing an average of 32.7 points in three playoff games. For the season, South Fayette allows an average of 30.8 points per game, second lowest in the WPIAL to Burrell (30.0). … Gattuso is the daughter of Greg Gattuso, an assistant head coach and defensive line coach at Pitt.
Last 10: South Fayette (8-2); Seton-La Salle (9-1).

Bucci resigns from C-M

Last Thursday, Steve Bucci resigned as head coach of the Canon-McMillan baseball team, less than a year after managing the Big Macs to the 2008 PIAA championship, the school's first state baseball title.

In two seasons at Canon-McMillan, Bucci posted a 35-14 record with two playoff appearances. He previously coached at South Park and Serra Catholic.

Bucci resigned in order to spend more time with his family, including son Brayden, who was born four days after the Big Macs defeated Spring-Ford, 10-2, to win the PIAA title.

"It built up over time," Bucci said. "Last season was exhausting, from winning the state championship then having a baby. I never felt grounded. Things became more hectic. I wanted to kick back, be a father and watch him grow up."

For more details, check Tuesday's Observer-Reporter.

Playoff musings, part II

Random thoughts from a basketball-filled weekend:

1. I was fouled six times while sitting court side at the Wash High-South Fayette boys quarterfinal. The game was that physical.
2. The officiating in the game was bad, at best. And it's not because South Fayette took 45 free throws to 11 for Washington. That's because the Lions attacked the basket at all costs, while Washington often settled for short jumpers. The problem I saw with the officiating was inconsistency. Both teams got away with a lot during the first half. Suddenly, the refs were calling everything in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, it was back to a free-for-all.
3. That said, I thought South Fayette's players adjusted to how the game was being called slightly better than Wash High's.
4. I also expect South Fayette and Washington to make a run in the state tournament. Each played the type of defense that wins playoff games.
5. The Wash High girls outplayed top-seed Sto-Rox for all but the final five minutes of the first quarter. As well as Washington played, the Prexies shot terribly.
6. Still, the performance makes me think this girls team has the best chance at a run in states since Amber Harris was a senior.
7. Kudos to the South Fayette girls. Who would have thought the Lions would put up 57 on the No. 2 seed just days after scoring 29 in an overtime game?
8. Not me.
9. The Peters Township boys are very good and so is senior Nick Wilcox. As good as Wilcox has been, and he's a lock to be on the Observer-Reporter's all-district first-team, the two reasons the Indians may win their first WPIAL boys basketball title is the improved play of point guard Craig Wolcott and center Steve Radke.
10. Try this one on: Peters Township plays Seneca Valley in the semifinals. SV is coached by former PT head coach Victor Giannotta.
11. Here's another one: South Fayette faces top-seed Jeannette in the boys semifinals. Last year, those two met in the quarterfinals in the most eventful high school basketball game I've ever covered.
12. Peters Township senior Emily Correal may be the best high school girls basketball player in Washington County history. At the very least, she's right up there with Elizabeth Proudfit and Amber Harris of Wash High. It's also a tremendous credit to her play that the Indians came close to reaching the WPIAL semifinals. PT lost most of the players who surrounded Correal during last year's run.
13. Finally, let's here from Monessen fans. WJPA's Bob Gregg told me that the Greyhounds rallied from 15 down in the 4th against Beaver Falls to win. It was shocking news. Monessen fans, speak up. Did you stay until the end? What was it like? How did Beaver Falls react? The Varsity Letters needs details on one of the great comebacks in the rich history of Monessen basketball.

Picking the winners, WPIAL quarterfinals

The Varsity Letters posted a respectable 76-17 record in first-round/preliminary playoffs games. That's an 81.7 percent clip. Not too shabby.

Here's the picks for the WPIAL quarterfinals:

Boys
Class AAAA
Peters Township over Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Seneca Valley over Upper St. Clair, Latrobe over North Hills, Mt. Lebanon over McKeesport
Class AAA
Chartiers Valley over Blackhawk, Highlands over Valley, New Castle over Moon, Greensburg-Salem over Hampton
Class AA
Jeannette over Quaker Valley, South Fayette over Washington, Beaver Falls over Monessen, North Catholic over Aliquippa
Class A
Sewickley Academy over Union, Clairton over Lincoln Park, Serra Catholic over OLSH, Neshannock over Carmichaels

Girls
Class AAAA
Mt. Lebanon over Baldwin, Oakland Catholic over Penn Hills, Peters Township over Gateway, Bethel Park over Fox Chapel
Class AAA
New Castle over Mt. Pleasant, South Park over Hampton, Indiana over Chartiers Valley, West Mifflin over Mars
Class AA
Sto-Rox over Washington, OLSH over Jeannette, Beaver over South Fayette, Seton-La Salle over Riverside
Class A
North Catholic over Rochester, Vincentian Academy over Clairton, Fort Cherry over Quigley Catholic, Serra Catholic over Mt. Alvernia