Mar 6, 2020 5 min read

The questions for the West Greene girls basketball team have subsided.

The Pioneers had just lost their third consecutive WPIAL Class A championship game, and second in a row to Rochester, last Friday at the Petersen Events Center.

But West Greene coach Jordan Watson still had something on his mind.

“Has anybody looked at the state bracket?” Watson asked.

For the second consecutive season, West Greene (24-1) will play the District 10 champion Kennedy Catholic (20-3) in the first round of the PIAA tournament. Opening tip is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. today at Peters Township High School.

“I don’t know what sense that makes as far as the state goes,” Watson continued, “having a No. 2 (seed) versus a No. 1 (seed). Whatever. We would have actually gotten a better seed if we had lost in the semifinals. That’s the state of Pennsylvania.”

Watson has a point.

Neither of the two WPIAL semifinal losers – Sewickley Academy and Clairton – play a champion from another district. Sewickley Academy plays District 9 runner-up North Clarion. Clairton takes on Blacklick Valley, the No. 3 seed from District 6.

The four combined losses by West Greene and Kennedy Catholic is tied for the fewest of any first-round matchup in all six classifications. The only other game on the girls side with teams sporting four total losses is a Class 4A game between unbeaten Bethlehem Catholic against four-loss Prep Charter.

It will also mean for a second consecutive year that one of these teams will be done after today. Kennedy Catholic edged the Pioneers in the first round last year, 63-56. It lost in the next round to Berlin, which went on to win the PIAA Class A title.

“West Greene is a great team,” Kennedy Catholic coach Justin Magestro said. “They play extremely hard and are well-coached. They have hardworking, blue-collar kids. Would we like to play in our backyard? Absolutely. I feel bad for our fans and the students at our school. But you have to win on the road to be the best anyhow.”

Watson knows if the Pioneers have a start similar to last year and can’t slow down Kennedy Catholic’s Malia Magestro, then the probability of another first-round exit skyrockets. West Greene trailed 16-3 after one quarter and Magestro scored a game-high 34 points.

Magestro, a Youngstown State recruit, is averaging 26.6 points in her senior season and has 2,118 career points. She has scored in double figures in each of the Golden Eagles’ games in the past three seasons.

“She’s just a great player,” Watson said Magestro following last year’s loss. “She can handle the ball well and she does a good job of moving without the ball.”

Bellah DiNardo averages 13.6 points and 7.5 rebounds for Kennedy Catholic.

West Greene is trying to continue its record-breaking season and become the first girls team from Greene County to win a state playoff game.

“We have 24 wins right now,” Watson said. “That’s a school record and county record. Hopefully, we get 25.”

Trinity vs. Penn Hills

When: 4:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: South Fayette High School

What to know: Trinity will play a WPIAL opponent in the first round of the state playoffs for the third consecutive year. The Hillers lost to Thomas Jefferson in their PIAA opener last year, 50-44. In 2018, they lost 28-24 to Gateway. Trinity (19-5) is trying to bounce back from a loss to Chartiers Valley in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game last Saturday, which also extended Penn Hills’ season with the follow-the-winner format. Chartiers Valley defeated Penn Hills in the WPIAL quarterfinals. The Indians have struggled to score, averaging only 44.3 points, the second-fewest of all 5A teams to make the district playoffs. Penn Hills (12-12) makes up for offensive deficiencies with a strong defense, surrendering only 38.4 points per game. Amoni Blackwell scores 16 points per game to lead Penn Hills. Trinity has made the PIAA tournament seven straight seasons.

Avella vs. Coudersport

When: 2 p.m. Saturday

Where: St. Mary’s High School

What to know: After making the state tournament for the first time in program history last year, Avella (17-7) returns for the second straight year. The Eagles are hoping for a better result than their 79-30 loss to District 5 and eventual state champion Berlin in last season’s first round. Coudersport (21-4) is the District 9 champ and all four of its losses have came against opponents from higher classifications. The Falcons have won nine consecutive games and haven’t lost since Jan 25. Coudersport’s Sarah Chambers was the lone scorer in double figures entering the District 9 tournament, averaging 14.1 points.