Highlands-New Castle come close to WPIAL record

By Mike White | Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010, 10:10 p.m.

In case you wanted to know ...

It was like a tennis match. With all the back-and-forth action in today's Highlands-New Castle WPIAL basketball playoff game, fans had to keep turning their heads back and forth, back and forth.

In a game that came close to a record, Highlands defeated New Castle, 93-82, in a Class AAA first-round game.

The 175 total points was one point shy of the Class AAA single-game playoff record. The record of 176 points was set in 1984 when Aliquippa defeated Burrell, 91-85, in double overtime.

Three other Class AAA playoff games had 175 total points. Thomas Jefferson defeated Hampton, 95-80, in 1988. Blackhawk defeated Seton-LaSalle, 100-75, in 1992. Blackhawk defeated West Mffilin, 102-73, in 1996.

In a Class AAAA game today, Gateway and Norwin also came close to a record as Gateway defeated the Knights, 91-73. The 164 total points was five shy of the WPIAL Class AAAA playoff record of 169, set in 1999 when New Castle defeated McKeesport, 102-67.