Mar 6, 2015 By Eleanor Bailey 4 min read

After an upset loss to North Hills, 37-33, in the quarterfinals of the district playoffs, Joe David swapped his clipboard and whistle for the proverbial psychiatrist’s couch to rejuvenate his Mt. Lebanon basketball players.

“Some days you get to be Phil Jackson. Some days you’re Dr. Phil,” said the Blue Devils’ head coach with a laugh. “No doubt it wasn’t easy for them to bounce back.”

One day after the demoralizing defeat, Lebo did just that. In play-in games for the PIAA tournament, the Blue Devils dispatched Upper St. Clair, 48-32, and Hempfield, 70-56. As a result, the Blue Devils clinched a berth in the state playoffs.

Lebo (20-6) battles Chartiers Valley (23-3) at 2:30 p.m. March 7 at Canon-McMillan High School in the first round of the PIAA Quad-A boys’ basketball playoffs.

“Chartiers Valley is a very good team,” David said of the WPIAL champions. “They are hard to stop but we are up for the challenge.”

The two teams have challenged each other twice this season. With split decisions, they finished as co-champions of Section 4. The Blue Devils succumbed, 71-57, at CV, but on their home turf, they posted a triple-overtime triumph, 58-55.

“It’s going to be a great game,” predicted David. “I think whoever wins this game can make a nice run in the tournament.”

Lebo had anticipated making a deeper run in the WPIAL tournament. The Blue Devils even expected to face the Colts sooner. They were seeded third in the WPIAL while the Colts earned the No. 2 seed.

“It’s nice for us to get a second chance,” David said. “It’s a great opportunity for us because we feel like we didn’t get in done in the second round (of the WPIAL tournament).”

Against USC and Hempfield, Matt Hoffman and Jonny David got it done for the Blue Devils. Hoffman tossed in 18 and 10 tallies in the victories while David contributed 15 and 17 markers.

“No doubt it wasn’t easy for my guys to bounce back (after North Hills), especially the next day. It was extra hard for everybody, but lucky for us we got to play a natural rival in St. Clair and against Hempfield, we played well against a very good team.

“Emotionally, it was hard to come back but I was happy with the way my team responded. We are happy to be where we are. We’re expecting a good game (against CV). It’s a great opportunity to see what we are made of,” David said.

While the Bethel Park boys will not have that opportunity because they lost their play-in game to Hempfield, 70-56, despite the efforts of Joe Mascaro (15) and Jake Dixon (10), the Lady Hawks will. The BP girls travel to Holidaysburg to face District 6 champion Altoona (13-11) at 7:30 p.m. March 6. The Lady Hawks are coming off a tough loss, 52-39, to Penn Hills, the WPIAL runner-up. In the loss, Mia Mattes scored all her 15 points off 3-point field goals. Shannon Conely chipped in 10 tallies.

AAA

South Fayette (19-6) enters the PIAA Class AAA boys’ basketball playoffs as the seventh seed out of District 7. The Lions split their play-in games, falling to Hampton, 61-46, but beating Highlands, 65-51, to secure their position in the state playoffs.

Brett Brumbaugh fired in 12 markers in the loss. Jack Relihan (17), Jake Thomas (14), Brumbaugh (13) and Nick McKee (10) registered double digits against Highlands.

South Fayette takes on Indiana (24-2) at 7:30 p.m. March 6 at Plum High School. Indiana is the WPIAL champion.

In the girls’ tournament, Chartiers Valley (19-7) looks to rebound from its WPIAL semifinal loss to Blackhawk when the Colts face Punxsutawney (16-7) at 1 p.m. March 7 at Clarion University.

AA

Bishop Canevin ended its season when the Crusaders lost to Neshannock, 58-42, in a PIAA boys’ play-in game. Reed Relosky led Canevin with nine points.

Meanwhile, the Lady Crusaders play Cambridge Springs (19-6) at 6 p.m. March 6 at Canon-McMillan in the first round of the PIAA playoffs. Canevin clinched a berth in the state tournament by upending Burrell in the WPIAL semifinals. Sarah Green had 12 tallies in that triumph.

Seton-La Salle (19-7), which reached the WPIAL final after beating Carlynton, 40-35, will battle Westmont Hilltop (17-8) at 6 p.m. March 6 at North Catholic. The Lady Rebels beat Carlynton, 40-35, in their district semifinal. In the win, Shaunay Edmonds and Morgan Henderson both fired in 10 points.

Chartiers-Houston qualified for the PIAA AA girls’ tournament after splitting play-in games. The Buccaneers lost to Greensburg Central Catholic, 48-44, but earned the No. 7 seed in the district after beating Neshannock, 48-45. Alexa Williamson led the Bucs in both games with 15 and 14 points respectively. Jaylnn Myers had 10 tallies against GCC. Jala Youngblood (12) and Jules Vulcano (11) were in double figures against Neshannock.