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BOYS
PIAA CLASS 1A SECOND ROUND
Teams: 7-2 The Neighborhood Academy (19-6); 6-1 Bishop Carroll Catholic Huskies (16-10)
Site, time: Armstrong H.S., Kittaning, 7:30 p.m.
The coaches: Neighborhood Academy--Jordan Marks; Bishop Carroll--Cosie Aliquo
Playoff path: Neighborhood Academy--def. Aquinas Academy, 79-56, in WPIAL quarterfinals; def. Rochester, 62-41, in semifinals; lost to Imani Christian, 78-49, in WPIAL championship; def. Rocky Grove, 63-40, in PIAA first round. Bishop Carroll--def. Portage, 70-56, in District 6 Class 1A quarterfinals; def. Conemaugh Valley, 89-75, in semifinals; def. Williamsburg, 72-41, in District 6 championship; def. Johnsonburg, 56-47, in PIAA first round.
Probable starting lineups: Neighborhood Academy--G Courtney Wallace, jr; G Shamar Simpson, jr; G Kedron Gilmore, fr.; F Junior Onwubiko, jr.; C Derick Hardeman, so. Bishop Carroll--G Luke Repko, sr.; G Max Oravec, sr.; G-F Parker Alexander, sr.; G Will Tremel, jr.; G Jace Casses, so.
Key reserves: Neighborhood Academy--C Brent Manns, sr.; G Syncer Nicholson, jr. Bishop Carroll--G Zander Sekerak, sr.; G-F Gus Becquet, so.
Who they get: The winner will play WPIAL third-place finisher Union or District 9 champion Elk County Catholic on Friday in the PIAA quarterfinals.
Notable: Neighborhood Academy joined the WPIAL in basketball in 2021 and lost in last year's PIAA tournament in the first round to Elk County Catholic, 67-47. ... Courtney Wallace is a Yale commit and averages nearly a triple double per game (21 points, eight assists, eight rebounds). ... According to TribLive, Neighborhood Academy coach Jordan Marks worked for Robert Morris as director of basketball operations under Mike Rice and was a video coordinator at Pitt under Jamie Dixon before coaching Neighborhood Academy, which was founded in 2001. ... With its first-round win, Bishop Carroll improved to 25-20 all-time in the PIAA tournament. ... The Huskies are 7-6 all-time in second round PIAA games. ... Three of Neighborhood Academy's six losses are to WPIAL and defending state champion Imani Christian.
GIRLS
PIAA CLASS 2A SECOND ROUND
Teams: 10-1 Kennedy Catholic Lady Eagles (21-4); 6-2 Portage Lady Mustangs (24-3)
Site, time: Norwin H.S., North Huntingdon, 6 p.m.
The coaches: Kennedy Catholic--Justin Magestro; Portage--Lance Hudak
Playoff path: Kennedy Catholic--def. Union City, 75-38, in District 10 quarterfinals; def. West Middlesex, 73-33, in semifinals; def. Maplewood, 60-25, in District 10 championship; def. Fort Cherry, 68-24, in PIAA first round. Portage--def. Homer-Center, 47-36, in District 6 Class 2A quarterfinals; def. Bellwood-Antis, 56-45, in semifinals; lost to Marion Center, 58-44, in District 6 championship game; def. Aliquippa, 53-41, in PIAA first round.
Probable starting lineups: Kennedy Catholic--G Monique Vincent, jr.; G Bella Magestro, so.; G Madison Pfleger, jr.; C Layke Fields, jr. Portage--G Alex Chobany, sr.; G Cami Burkett, sr.; G Ashlyn Hudak, sr.; F Brooke Bednarski, sr.; F Jenna Burkett, sr.
Key reserves: Kennedy Catholic--G-F Lochlyn Shimrock, jr. Portage--Payton Noll, jr.; G Britton Myher, so.; G Liana Bagby, so.
Who they get: The winner will play either District 6 third-place finisher Bishop McCort or WPIAL sixth-place finisher Clairton in the PIAA quarterfinals on Friday.
Notable: This is a rematch of the 2022 PIAA Class 1A semifinal played at Armstrong High School. Kennedy Catholic won that game 51-45. Layke Fields scored 19 points for Kennedy in that game. Portage's Alex Chobany (12 points) and Ashlyn Hudak (10 points) scored in double figures. ... Kennedy lost to Northumberland Christian in the finals that year, 66-54. ... The Lady Eagles moved up to 2A along with Portage last year and made it back to the state final and beat Homer-Center, 65-45. ... Kennedy Catholic's other state championship came in 2001, 48-46, over Nativity BVM. Kennedy has been to the PIAA semifinals nine times. ... Portage has been to the PIAA semifinals twice and fell to Old Forge, 45-42, in double overtime in 2015.
-- Compiled by Michael Boytim