By: Don Rebel


Thursday, January 30, 2025 | 12:10 AM

While it appears the chase for the section title in Section 1-6A boys basketball is going to come down to the last night of section play, the lights could be turned out Thursday on the race for a championship in Section 2-6A.

Upper St. Clair (18-1) can clinch the section crown with a win against Imani Christian (11-6) at CCAC-Allegheny on the North Side of Pittsburgh on Thursday.

The Panthers are riding high with a perfect 11-0 section record and have won 13 straight games since suffering their only loss of the season to Montour in mid-December.

The Saints are 9-2 in section play in their first season competing in Class 6A.

Imani Christian has won three straight, but they have gone down to the wire and beyond in two of those wins, a one-point victory over Norwin and an overtime triumph against Hempfield.

When the two first met this season at Upper St. Clair, the Panthers throttled the Saints in a battle of top two teams in the class, 74-32.

USC seniors Tyler Robbins and Nico Gidas led the rout with 23 points each.

One of the top district scorers, senior R.J. Sledge was held to only seven points for Imani.

Solidarity

One of the top matchups on the final Thursday in January on the WPIAL girls basketball schedule is in the lowest classification.

In a rematch of the 2024 Class A district title game, two-time defending champion Union (18-0) will look to clinch the Section 1-A title when it hosts St. Joseph (12-5).

The Scotties are one of only three WPIAL basketball teams with perfect records, including an 11-0 mark in section games this season.

With three section games left, they have a two-game lead over the Spartans, who are 8-2.

Union has outscored their opponents this season by an average of 55-27.

In the first meeting 22 days ago in Natrona Heights, Union defeated St. Joseph, 46-29.

The Spartans have won five games in a row since that loss to the Scotties.

Union senior Kylie Fruehstorfer, who is averaging 19 point per game this season, scored 25 points in the win.

Freshman Bella Bartolovic had 13 points to lead St. Joe’s.

Fighting for 4th and 5th

The top four teams have clinched playoff berths in Section 2-3A girls basketball; however, the battle for fifth place in the eight-team section is tight.

While Shady Side Academy and Greensburg Central Catholic fight for first and Deer Lakes and Avonworth are deadlocked for third place, Steel Valley, South Allegheny and Ligonier Valley are separated by only one game for the final playoff spot.

On Thursday, Steel Valley (2-6, 2-14) visits South Allegheny (3-7, 3-14) while Ligonier Valley (2-7, 4-12) is home to section power Greensburg Central Catholic.

In Section 2-2A, Fort Cherry and South Side have clinched, leaving three teams to battle for the final two playoff spots in the six-team section.

Carlynton (2-5, 8-9) travels to take on Brentwood (3-4, 5-10) in a game you can watch on Trib HSSN at 7 p.m.

Burgettstown is also in the mix (3-4, 7-11) as it prepares to host first-place Fort Cherry.