By: Don Rebel


Friday, January 24, 2025 | 12:24 AM

In WPIAL Section 3-4A boys basketball, three teams have pulled away from the other four schools.

Belle Vernon (12-4) and Derry (10-5) are both 7-1 in section play while Elizabeth Forward (13-3) is right there as well with a 6-1 section mark.

The Leopards beat the Warriors, the Warriors knocked off the Trojans, and the Trojans defeated the Leopards in the first half of section play.

Now the first head-to-head matchup of the second half takes place Friday when Derry visits Belle Vernon on Trib HSSN.

In the first meeting last month, Stanley Rajkovich had 26 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots for Derry in the upset in overtime, 67-61.

John Wasnick added 19 points for the Trojans while Trevor Kovatch led the Leopards with 14 points.

Belle Vernon played without its leading scorer, Zion Moore.

The Trojans have won two straight while the Leopards come into the game on a six-game winning streak.

Also on Friday, Elizabeth Forward tries to remain in a tie for first place when it visits Greensburg Salem (3-5, 4-10).

It’s a homecoming for third-year Warriors head coach Nolan Larry, who played his high school basketball for the Golden Lions.

Two races in 1-(6A)

While the chase for a section title in 1-6A is a three-team race between Seneca Valley (8-1, 11-6), Fox Chapel (7-2, 12-4) and New Castle (6-3, 12-3), the battle for fourth and fifth place has suddenly become its own race with four teams involved.

The top five teams in Section 1-6A qualify for the playoffs and coming into Friday’s slate, Butler (11-5) and North Hills (5-11) are currently tied for fourth place with section records of 4-5.

Don’t forget about Woodland Hills (7-9) and Pine-Richland (5-10) though, because they are right there with 3-6 section records.

Each game now becomes big with five section games remaining in both the chase for a section crown and the battle for a playoff berth.

The slate for Friday includes:

• Seneca Valley at North Hills with video on Trib HSSN

• Butler visiting New Castle with audio on Trib HSSN

• North Allegheny hosting Pine-Richland with audio on Trib HSSN

• Woodland Hills traveling to Fox Chapel

As the Section 3-2A turns

It’s another big night in the tightest boys basketball section in the district with four of the top five teams going at it on Friday.

A day after facing Carmichaels, front-running Chartiers-Houston hosts West Greene (6-2, 8-6) as the Pioneers look to win and move up the ladder in a crowded section.

The top four teams are separated by one game with fifth place Beth-Center (5-3, 8-7) only two games out of first place.

Speaking off the Bulldogs, they open up a four-game homestand Friday by hosting Fort Cherry (6-3, 8-7).

The other team in the mix is Jefferson-Morgan at 6-2 in the section and 10-5 overall.

The Rockets hit the road to take on Mapletown (0-14, 0-8) on Friday.