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Monday, December 15, 2025 | 9:01 PM
Mt. Lebanon’s Liam Sheely scores in opposition to Upper St. Clair’s Tyler Robbins on Feb. 2, 2024. (Christopher Horner | TribLive)
Over the final two seasons, the Central Catholic and Mt. Lebanon boys basketball groups have squared off in late February in the WPIAL Class 6A third-place recreation.
In the 2024 postseason, Mt. Lebanon eradicated Central Catholic and earned a berth in the PIAA playoffs with an in depth win, 62-57.
A 12 months in the past, the 2 performed once more in the 6A comfort recreation, this time to resolve who can be No. 3 and No. 4 from District 7 in the state postseason. The Vikings beat the Blue Devils, 68-60.
Now the 2 groups collide once more on the hardwood with at the very least an early share of first place in Section 2-6A up for grabs when Central Catholic visits Mt. Lebanon at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The Vikings cut up their first two recreation this season in their very own Jack Twyman Tournament, beating Mohawk and falling to Moon.
Following a win over Allderdice, the Vikings opened up Section 2-6A motion final week with an exciting extra time victory over defending champion Upper St. Clair, 48-46.
Senior Owen Campfield led Central Catholic with 17 factors.
Mt. Lebanon has but to lose this season.
The Blue Devils received nonsection video games over Allderdice, North Hills and Baldwin earlier than profitable their part opener on the highway Friday at Hempfield, 68-63.
Senior Liam Sheely scored 24 factors to tempo Mt. Lebanon.
The Vikings and Blue Devils are tied with Canon-McMillan for first place one recreation into part play.
Cat combat on the ‘Port
One workforce had a robust ending kick in Section 1-5A final season and earned a playoff berth; the opposite struggled down the stretch and was a spectator for the WPIAL boys basketball postseason.
We are a good distance from speaking about ending kicks and stretch runs for this season; nonetheless, an early share of first place in the part is up for grabs when Franklin Regional visits McKeesport at 7 p.m.
Both groups are coming off a bit opening victory Friday, because the Panthers are 4-1 total this season and the Tigers test in at 3-1.
Junior Logan Walter had 25 factors as Franklin Regional received at dwelling over Penn-Trafford, 63-47, in the part lid-lifter.
For McKeesport, Lamont Perkins dropped 21 factors in a slim victory at Laurel Highlands, 54-52.
The groups cut up their two part video games final season, however a 16-point victory for the Panthers over the Tigers at McKeesport proved to be the distinction in the playoff chase because the Franklin Regional claimed the ultimate postseason berth by two video games over McKeesport.
If the Tigers would have overwhelmed the Panthers in that second recreation at dwelling, the 2 would have completed tied for the ultimate playoff spot and McKeesport would have made it based mostly on head-to-head tiebreaker.
Something has to give
After one part recreation, 4 groups are tied for the highest spot in Section 1-2A with two of these faculties set to conflict on Tuesday.
Jeannette, Frazier, Bentworth and Clairton all sit atop the part with 1-0 information.
Tuesday, the reigning 2A champion Jayhawks will host the Bearcats at 7:30 p.m.
Jeannette beat Indiana, Windber and Summit Academy earlier than a section-opening win over California by 46 factors.
The Jayhawks’ lone loss was to Woodward County out of Kentucky in the Pittsburgh Basketball Classic.
Bentworth is 3-1 this season with victories over Carmichaels, Beth-Center and a section-opening win over Riverview by 10 factors.
The Bearcats’ lone loss was at Jefferson-Morgan by 5 factors.
Something has to give as Jeannette is tops in the part in offense, averaging 72 factors per recreation, whereas Bentworth is a bit greatest on protection, permitting 35.2 factors per contest.