USC anticipates top seed in Class 6A
Defending champs team to beat in boys basketball
When the WPIAL announces playoff pairings in boys’ basketball on Feb. 10, expect Upper St. Clair to draw the No. 1 seed in Class 6A. The Panthers are the defending district champions. Additionally, they have been ranked first throughout the 2024-25 regular season.
“They are the best team out there right now,” said Mt. Lebanon floor boss Joe David.
“There is no team like them. With their height they are like the size of a college team and their experience,” he continued. “In 30 years, none of us as coaches will ever see a team like that. They are very, very good.
“They have to be the favorite,” David continued. “It’s theirs to lose. It’s going to take a good effort to beat them.”
The Top 10 teams in Class 6A qualified for the postseason, including USC’s section rivals Imani Christian, Central Catholic and Mt. Lebanon as well as Fox Chapel, New Castle, Seneca Valley, Butler, North Hills and Norwin.
USC is expecting tough competition throughout the playoffs, which start Feb. 13.
“We know we will be getting everybody’s best shot. Every game will be a battle,” predicted USC head coach Dan Holzer.
“Every team in this tournament is good and it may sound cliche or generic but we are everybody’s Super Bowl. People love to beat St. Clair.”
Before heading into their section finale hosting arch rival Mt. Lebanon on Feb. 7, Montour and Imani Christian were the lone teams to defeat the Panthers (12-1, 19-2). The Spartans were the top-ranked squad with Baldwin in Class 5A. Imani Christian was ranked No. 3 behind Central Catholic in Class 6A.
The Panthers lost to Montour, 59-50, in mid-December during the Harry Jenkins Classic at La Roche University.
The loss to Imani Christian, 63-58, occurred Jan. 30 at CCAC-Alleheny and snapped a 13-game winning streak by the Panthers. USC previously defeated the Saints, 74-32, in the initial Section 2 encounter on Jan. 7.
“Imani was a wake-up call because we were just cruising along there,” Holzer said. “They made a lot of shots and we did not respond well.”
The Saints could pose problems for playoff teams, including the Panthers. They had won back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA titles before voluntarily moving up to compete in the Class 6A division.
“They are a concern because they are so athletic,” Holzer said. “They cause problems because they are so fast. They have quick hands and feet and present obstacles offensively and defensively.”
At 6-foot-10, Tyler Robbins presents problems for USC’s opponents. The Miami (Ohio) recruit averages 15.2 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3 blocked shots per game. His younger brother, Ryan, a 6-8 sophomore, manages seven points per game off the bench. The duo fired in 18 and 10 points respectively to lead the Panthers to their most recent win, 55-38, against Hempfield.
The Panthers have answered adversaries, who attempt to collapse their defenses inside, with the outside accuracy of Niko Gidas and Jake Foster. Both connect on 37.8 percent of their 3-point field goal attempts and have averaged 8.3 and 7.3 points per game respectively for USC.
Kaamil Jackson has been effective inside and outside, averaging 6.5 points per game while Julan Dahlem quarterbacks the offense, dishing up six assists per game to go along with 5.1 points.
“We have great team chemistry,” Holzer said. “We share the ball really well and have balanced scoring. Defensively, for the most part, we’ve been doing a good job making opponents take contested shots.”
USC has held opponents to under 40 points per game while putting up nearly 63 on the scoreboard. During their interlude between the regular season and the playoffs, the Panthers plan on honing their defensive attack..
“We are going to focus on improving our team defense,” Holzer said. “We’ve done a nice job so far of being able to guard the other team’s best players. Our guys know what their roles are and we have good balance.”
Holzer cautioned though that the team must continue “to keep getting better” because anything goes in the playoffs.
“It really doesn’t really matter where you have been seeded. After all these years, I have learned that anything can happen,” said Holzer, who won last year’s title out of the No. 3 seeded slot and the 2021 crown as the No. 1 target. “You have to be prepared because these are one-and-done situations.”
One team in the tournament that would love to end USC’s hopes is Mt. Lebanon. The Blue Devils are rounding into shape now that Liam Sheely has recovered from a broken bone in his hand suffered during a preseason practice.
Sheely has averaged nearly 20 points per game since his return to the line-up. He fired in 19 tallies in a 64-45 non-section win against Bethel Park. Sam Deibert (16), Jacob Zaber (12) and Carter Gould (10) also scored in double figures for the Blue Devils. That trio is regularly averaging double figures for the Blue Devils.
“Liam is one of the best players in the WPIAL,” Holzer said.
Since Sheely’s return to the line-up, the Blue Devils won 8 of 10 games, including six in a row. That streak includes a 73-61 triumph against Imani Christian on Feb. 4 as Lebo improved to 9-4 in the section and 14-6 overall. Sheely (19), Deibert (19), Santino Fiumara (16) and Zaber (13) all finished in double figures for the Blue Devils, who outscored the Saints, 25-12, in a decisive third quarter after being tied, 36-36, at intermission.
“We have done well with Liam in the line-up. Obviously he’s our best player and he’s leading us in a big way,” said David. “I’m also proud of what we have done without him though. We have gotten better and improved. Become stronger as a group,” he continued. “So we are fresh and not burnt out. We are in good shape heading into the playoffs.”
Holzer does not underestimate the Blue Devils. He doesn’t expect them to be a “dark horse” in the tournament because he says he knows them so well, equating their long-standing rivalry to that of North Carolina versus Duke in ACC competition.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they go far,” he said. “They are playing well and they are as good as anybody in the tournament. Do they scare me? Anybody we play scares me. You just can’t assume anything in this tournament. All the teams are a concern.
“We are looking forward to playing,” Holzer continued. “It’s an exciting time of the year. When you make the playoffs, you know you had a good season but we want to keep it going.”
Last year may be the impetus that pushes Lebo through the postseason. In 2024, the Blue Devils were upset by Baldwin, losing in overtime in the semifinals of the Class 6A tournament.
“A lot of guys like Carter, who played in that game, remember how we blew it last year. Obviously it’s in the back of the minds of guys like Liam, Zach, Santino and Patrick (Smith). We’d love to get back to a championship,” David said.
David believes his Blue Devils have the intangibles to go along with their talent.
“I like how we are playing defensively and the way we have been competing. There’s a lot of fight in my guys. A lot of intensity. I love their competitive spirit. They have the potential to beat anybody.”
As a lower seed in a 10-team tournament, Lebo’s path to the Petersen Center will be challenging but the Blue Devils are battle-tested and primed for the playoffs after finishing the regular season with consecutive games against Imani Christian, USC and Peters Township, which qualified for the Class 5A tournament.
“It’s been non-stop playoff games for us and that has kept us sharp,” David said. “The playoffs are always the same. You are playing all good teams. If we want to move forward and advance, then we have to beat good teams. Recently we have faced some very good, well-coached clubs and it’s been about survival. That’s what the playoffs are all about. Survive and advance,” David concluded. “We hope to continue that progress; getting better, improving and winning.”