By: Don Rebel


Monday, November 25, 2024 | 9:37 PM

Some big-time teams, including the two-time defending WPIAL Class 4A champion Lincoln Park Leopards have moved out of Class 4A and up to 5A following realignment.

However, despite the loss of the Leopards along with Uniontown, Laurel Highlands, Albert Gallatin, Hampton, Blackhawk and Montour, Class 4A has its share of top players in what should be a very balanced chase for gold.

Here is a rundown of players to watch, the preseason top 5 teams and other notables in WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball this season.

Preseason Player of the Year

Rowan Carmichael, Avonworth

6-0, Sr., Guard

21.3 ppg last season

Players to watch

Zion Moore, Belle Vernon

6-3, Sr., G, 26.3 ppg

Brady Mayo, Beaver

6-1, Sr., G, 25.0 ppg

Isaiah Jeter, Central Valley

6-2, Sr., G, 21.1 ppg

Zach Washington, Quaker Valley

6-1, Jr., G, 17.3 ppg

Jackson Bauman, Knoch

6-2, Jr., G, 16.5 ppg

Jude Rottmann, North Catholic

6-2, Jr., G, 11.0 ppg

Preseason Top 5

1. Knoch (15-11 last season)

The Knights return four starters from a team that finished in second place in Section 1-4A a year ago and reached the district quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Lincoln Park. Knoch will lean on a strong junior class led by 6-2 guard Jackson Bauman, who averaged 16.5 points, 4 assists and 5 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Three other junior starters are back as well, including 6-2 guard Teegan Finucan, 6-8 guard/forward Derek Lang and 7-0 center Zane Pacek.

2. Avonworth (18-10)

A year ago, the Antelopes reached the WPIAL semifinals and qualified for the PIAA postseason after finishing in second place to Montour in Section 4-4A. The Trib HSSN Class 4A preseason player of the year is ‘Lopes senior guard Rowan Carmichael. The sharpshooter averaged over 21 points per game and is the all-time leading scorer in Avonworth history as he closes in on 2,000 points in his career. Senior Noah Goetz is also back and is expected to help in both the frontcourt and backcourt.

3. North Catholic (18-10)

When realignment came out in the offseason, North Catholic breathed a sigh of relief as old nemesis Lincoln Park moved up to Class 5A. It has not been a completely stress-free offseason for the Trojans as they find a way to fill the shoes of Max Hurry, one of the top scorers in the district who averaged nearly 24 points per game a year ago. Expectations are high for a couple of junior guards who impressed as sophomores last season in Jude Rottmann and Jason Fredericks.

4. Belle Vernon (12-9)

It was a bittersweet season for the Leopards a year ago when they enjoyed a five-game winning streak in December, but then never won more than two in a row the rest of the way. The season ended with a three-game skid, including a loss to South Allegheny in the Class 4A first round, 71-62. Belle Vernon does return the leading scorer in the WPIAL last season in 6-3 senior guard Zion Moore, who averaged over 26 points per game. Also back for the Leopards are senior guards Trevor Kovatch and Alonzo Wage along with 6-6 sophomore forward Tommy Davis.

5. Beaver (12-11)

The Bobcats were one of the streakier teams in boys basketball last season. Their 12-11 season broke down this way: Won two, lost three, won two, lost two, won three, lost four, won five, and then lost their final two games, including an opening-round playoff loss at Knoch. The Bobcats return senior guard Brady Mayo, who was sixth in the WPIAL in scoring at 25 points per game. The Bucknell football commit will be joined in the starting lineup by senior guard Nick Krzeczowski and three sophomores, but not Ty Butler, who is preparing for his senior year on the diamond after committing to play baseball at Gardner-Webb.

Notables

• What a facelift this classification has undergone thanks to realignment. All four section champions from Class 4A last season — Hampton, Lincoln Park, Uniontown and Montour — have moved up to Class 5A this year and next. Lincoln Park has won the last two 4A district crowns, so a new team will be crowned in late February. In the 40 years of 4A boys basketball, only two current teams in the classification have won 4A championships: Highlands in 2020 and Quaker Valley in 2022.

• This class has gone from 25 to 20 teams for the next two-year cycle. This despite the fact that five teams moved up from Class 3A: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Derry, Valley and Yough. The class shrunk so much that it has gone from four sections to only three for the next two seasons.

• There were 15 games played in the 2024 WPIAL Class 4A boys basketball playoffs, but only four of those postseason contests were won by current 4A teams. Avonworth won two and Knoch and North Catholic won one each.

• This class is loaded with very good teams thanks in part to some of the top coaches in the district calling Class 4A home. They include veteran championship-winning coaches such at Mike Mastroianni at Quaker Valley, Jim Rocco at North Catholic, Joe Salvino at Belle Vernon and Brandon Ambrose at Central Valley.

• Some 4A anniversaries as we hit the midway point of the third decade this century:

40 years ago: Latrobe won the WPIAL 4A boys basketball crown in 1985

30 years ago: McKeesport took home gold in the 1995 4A finals

25 years ago: Penn Hills captured the 4A title in the winter of 2000

20 years ago: Upper St. Clair won the 2005 championship nine years after striking gold in 1996

10 years ago: Chartiers Valley won it all two years before the expansion to six classes

• Since Sections 1 and 3 have seven teams and Section 2 has only six teams, all three sections will have the same playoff format. The top four teams in each section will qualify for the WPIAL playoffs. If there is a tie for fourth place and head-to-head does not break the tie, all of the tied team will qualify. If there are no ties for fourth place, then 12 teams will qualify for the 4A playoffs with the top four seeds earning first-round byes.

• Other teams to watch in Class 4A include perennial power Quaker Valley led by junior Zach Washington, the two finalists in Class 3A last season in two-time champion Deer Lakes and Burrell, Central Valley with Isaiah Jeter back, Hopewell with all five starters returning and Elizabeth Forward, Freeport and Highlands, which were playoff teams in Class 4A a year ago.

Alignment

Section 1: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Highlands, Knoch, North Catholic, Valley

Section 2: Ambridge, Avonworth, Beaver, Central Valley, Hopewell, Quaker Valley

Section 3: Belle Vernon, Derry, East Allegheny, Elizabeth Forward, Greensburg Salem, West Mifflin, Yough