Friday PIAA boys basketball rundown: Bethel Park captures first PIAA win since 2000; Lincoln Park tops Montour; Neighborhood Academy claims first-ever state playoff win

A Bethel Park team that had won just twice in the past month made what was about a four-hour drive to Hershey for their PIAA opener Friday.

And while those factors didn’t exactly set up Bethel Park for success, the Black Hawks made sure it was their sweetest trip home from a state playoff game in more than two decades.

Mike Mathias scored 22 points and Shawn Davis added 20 to lead WPIAL sixth-place finisher Bethel Park to its first PIAA playoff win since 2000 courtesy of a 59-45 triumph at District 3 runner-up Hershey in a Class 5A first-round game.

Bethel Park (14-13) had been 0 for 4 in first-round games since its last PIAA win, 39-37, against Hollidaysburg in a Class 4A first-round game in 2000. The Black Hawks had also lost five of their previous seven games, including a defeat to Shaler in the WPIAL quarterfinals and a 21-point loss at Fox Chapel in the fifth-place consolation game.

“I think we had a renewed interest after that last game,” Bethel Park coach Dante Calabria said. “We hadn’t won a state playoff game in so long. We said, ‘What’s wrong with going out there and winning one?’ And we went out and played one of our best games of the season and played with so much effort.”

Mathias made six of Bethel Park’s 10 3-pointers, including two in the third quarter that helped push his team’s advantage to 39-31 after three quarters. Davis scored eight of his points in the fourth quarter when the Black Hawks outscored Hershey, 20-14.

Logan Richards led Hershey (21-4) with 14 points and Derek Guzman chipped in 13.

Calabria, who is in his second season, won a PIAA playoff game for the first time since leading Blackhawk to the PIAA Class 3A title as a player his senior season in 1992. Calabria scored a game-high 33 points in Blackhawk’s 71-55 win against Strath Haven at Hersheypark Arena.

“I was teasing the kids before the game and told them that I was 1-0 in Hershey and that Wilt Chamberlain and I had combined to score 133 points there,” Calabria said with a laugh.

Other Class 5A

• Next up for Bethel Park will be a rematch with WPIAL fifth-place finisher Fox Chapel (16-11), which registered a 57-52 upset of host and District 10 champion Cathedral Prep (15-11). Asher White scored 23 points and Jefferson Moorefield-Brown had 19 for the Foxes, who trailed, 39-37, after three quarters. Amare Pickens led Cathedral Prep with 25 points.

• Elijah Guillory and Michael Santicola each scored 16 points to vault WPIAL champion Moon (24-3) to a 52-34 home win against City League runner-up Obama Academy (11-13). Moon led, 27-13, at the half before going on to win its 12th consecutive game. Keivan Harris scored 16 points for Obama, which was seeking its first PIAA win since 2020.

• Cooper Rankin and Fin Hutchison scored 16 points apiece to lead WPIAL runner-up Franklin Regional (24-3) to a 68-53 home win against District 3 sixth-place finisher Warwick (17-9). It was the first PIAA win since 2017 for the Panthers, who led Warwick, 43-40, after three quarters before outscoring the Warriors, 25-13, in the fourth. 

• Shaler (24-3), the WPIAL’s third-place team, rallied from nine points down to beat visiting District 3 fourth-place finisher Greencastle-Antrim (20-7), 73-58, for its first PIAA win since 2012. Keegan Smetanka scored 21 points for Shaler, which has won 10 of its past 11 games. Shaler trailed, 21-12, early in the second quarter before rallying to take a 35-29 halftime lead.

Class 4A

• In the only matchup involving two WPIAL teams, Brandin Cummings pumped in 28 points and Meleek Thomas had 24 to lead defending champion Lincoln Park (24-3) to a 73-56 home win against WPIAL seventh-place finisher Montour (21-6). Cummings had 17 of his points in the first half when Lincoln Park jumped to a 38-24 lead. The Leopards have won 16 games in a row and claimed a PIAA win for the ninth consecutive season. Jake Wolfe led Montour with 25 points and Ama Sow added 20. 

• Peter Kramer finished with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists to help Hampton (23-4) rebound from its loss in the WPIAL final by defeating visiting District 10 runner-up Hickory (17-9), 63-43. Liam Mignogna added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Talbots, who captured a PIAA win for the second season in a row.

• WPIAL third-place finisher Uniontown (23-4) jumped to a 19-point halftime lead and coasted to a 67-33 home win against District 10 third-place finisher Grove City (15-11). Jamire Braxton scored 19 points to lead a quartet of Uniontown players reaching double digits. The Red Raiders will play Lincoln Park in the second round. Lincoln Park beat Uniontown in the WPIAL semifinals and in last year’s PIAA semifinals.

• Rowan Carmichael poured in 34 points for Avonworth (18-9), which bounced back from losses in the WPIAL semifinals and third-place consolation to win at District 9 champion Punxsutawney (14-11), 65-43. Anthony Arlia added 14 points for the Antelopes, who jumped to a 28-12 first-quarter lead. 

• Max Hurray’s 21 points helped WPIAL fifth-place finisher North Catholic (17-9) claim a 67-58 win at District 10 champion Warren (20-6). Owen Maddalon added 13 points and Jude Rottmann 11 for the Trojans, who reached the quarterfinals last season.

Class 1A

• Courtney Wallace scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead WPIAL runner-up Neighborhood Academy (19-6) to its first-ever PIAA win, 63-40, over District 10 runner-up Rocky Grove (16-9) at North Allegheny. It was the 13th win in the past 15 games for the Bulldogs, who lost in last year’s first round.

• Nate Brazil and RJ Sledge each scored 23 points to push WPIAL champion and defending PIAA champion Imani Christian (15-10) to an 88-65 win against District 9 fifth-place finisher Union-Rimersburg (13-12) at Norwin. The Saints defeated the Knights, 80-48, in the second round last season.

• Wil Wortman scored 34 points as District 9 champion Elk County Catholic (25-2) eliminated visiting WPIAL fifth-place finisher Monessen (20-6), 85-54. Lorenzo Gardner scored a team-high 18 points for Monessen, which trailed, 42-27, at the half. The Greyhounds were hunting their first PIAA win since advancing to the quarterfinals in 2019.

• WPIAL third-place finisher Union (16-11) raced to a 17-point halftime lead before going on to cruise to a 59-33 win against District 5 champion Turkeyfoot Valley (19-7) at Pitt-Johnstown. Lucas Stanley scored a game-high 25 points for Union, which reached the quarterfinals in 2022 and semifinals last season.

Scores

Class 5A

Bethel Park 59, Hershey 45

Fox Chapel 57, Cathedral Prep 52

Franklin Regional 68, Warwick 53

Mechanicsburg 60, Gateway 52

Moon 52, Obama Academy 34

Shaler 73, Greencastle-Antrim 58

York Suburban 52, Thomas Jefferson 48

Class 4A

Avonworth 65, Punxsutawney 43

Eastern York 56, South Allegheny 55

Hampton 63, Hickory 43

Lincoln Park 73, Montour 56

North Catholic 67, Warren 58

Uniontown 67, Grove City 33

Class 1A

Elk County Catholic 85, Monessen 54

Farrell 69, Rochester 45

Imani Christian 88, Union-Rimersburg 65

Neighborhood Academy 63, Rocky Grove 40

Union 59, Turkeyfoot Valley 33