Live WPIAL semifinal blog - Hampton beats NA; New Castle wins
Live blog from Wednesday's WPIAL Class AAAA semifinal between Hampton and North Allegheny at Chartiers Valley. We will have score updates and reports from other semifinal games. For updated scores, use Twitter @mwhiteburgh, and also "tweet" updates with #wpial.
Big upset in Class AAA girls. Elizabeth Forward defeats Blackhawk, 78-64. Blackhawk was undefeated.
Final from Class AA boys: Beaver Falls crushes Apollo-Ridge, 71-39.
Upset brewing in Class AAA. Undefeated Blackhawk trailing by 57-45 after three quarters.
FINAL SCORE: Hampton 66, North Allegheny 62
Ryan Luther with 27 for Hampton.
8:29 p.m. - This one over I think. Ryan Luther just hit two free throws after Ryan Meeker hit 3 for NA. 7.8 seconds left and Hampton leads, 66-62, but NA has no timeouts left.
8:24 p.m. - 20 seconds left. Hampton leads, 62-59. Ryan Luther keeps making every big play for Hampton.
8:20 p.m. Just sayin'. Ryan Luther just poked ball away from R.J. Colabrese at halfcourt. No foul call. All I'm sayin' is there is blood all over court from Colabrese nose.
FINAL: NEW CASTLE 71, SENECA VALLEY 46
8:16 p.m. - 10-0 run by NA. Hampton turning it over. NA takes 54-53 lead.
8:14 p.m. All sudden. Adam Haus scores. Miss by Hampton. David shove pass to bro' Adam. 3 and it's suddenly 53-50. And then turnover and James Meeker makes two FT and cuts Hampton lead to 53-52 with 3:37 left.
8:09 p.m. - Timeout early in fourth and Hampton leads, 53-44. NA 0 of 9 from 3 this half. But Hampton's defense has also been better. More physical.
END OF THIRD QUARTER: Hampton leads 48-41
7:57 p.m. - Timeout with 1:27 left in third quarter. Hampton leads, 45-39.
7:56 p.m. - Hampton on a run. Luthers taking over. Now 45-37.
7:50 p.m. - 4:19 left in third and we are all tied, 37-37. Don't you get feeling this will come to the end.
Sometimes I wonder why so many kids "help" off their man against NA and leave shooters open. Make them make drives to the basket.
7:48 p.m. - Fifve minutes in third and NA leads, 37-34.
FINAL: Burrell going to WPIAL final for only second time in school history: Burrell 43, Quaker Valley 32 in overtime.
Halftime: New Castle 36, Seneca Valley 24
First-half stats: James Meeker with 11 points for North Allegheny. NA 11 of 27 from field. 7 of 18 from 3-point range. Four different players with 3-pointers for NA.
For Hampton, Ryan Luther 13 points. First-half shooting for Hampton: 8 of 20 from field and 9 of 11 from line. 2 of 6 from 3.
HALFTIME: North Allegheny 31, Hampton 27 - North Allegheny hit two 3-pointers in final 40 seconds after Hampton took lead on Joe Lafko 3-pointer. Adam Haus hit one and then James Meeker one with six seconds left.
Burrell now beating Quaker Vlalley 42-32 in OT.
7:28 p.m. - Timeout. Hampton has jumped back in front 24-23. Collin Luther's first basket. The 3-2 zone has given NA a few problems. Nice when you can put a 6-7 guy on the top of a 3-2 in high school (Ryan Luther).
South Park beats Hopewell, 75-55, in Class AAA girls.
Final in girls Class A: Serra beats North Catholic, 56-45
7:21 p.m. And NA has gone on one of its runs. Turnover. Forced shot. Next thing you know Luke Soyster hits 3 to give NA 23-19 lead. 5:29 left in half.
7:16 p.m. Start of second quarter and Hampton has gone zone. 3-2.
Quaker Valley and Burrell are going into overtime tied at 30-30.
7:15 p.m. - End of first quarter and NA-Hampton are tied, 16-16. Four 3-pointers in first quarter for NA. Ryan Luther 10 points for Hampton.
7:09 p.m. - Ryan Luther steal and dunk and three-point play.
7:08 p.m. - Joe Mancini with another 3 for NA. Now 10-10 with 2:55 left in quarter.
7:05 p.m. - Timeout with 4:42 left in first quarter. Hampton 8-5. Joe Mancini with a 3 for NA. Ryan Luther and David Huber four each for Hampton.
7:03 p.m. - 6-2 Hampton early going.
7:00 p.m. - Under way. Two blocks for each team on first two possessions. Ryan Luther guarding Elijah Zeise. Luther not even guarding him. Letting him alone when gets ball.
Serra has come back and taken 39-35 lead on North Catholic after three quarters.
Hallie Torris has five 3-pointers for South Park against Hopewell.
Quaker Valley has come back to take 22-18 lead on Burrell in third quarter. Now at the end of three Quaker Valley leads, 23-21. P-G colleague Craig Meyer says certainly not the prettiest game.
South Park with three 3-pointers in third quarter and has extended lead on Hopewell to 49-22.
6:46 p.m. - Not that far from game time. No sign of hardly any North Allegheny students. We'll see.
6:41 p.m. - These two teams split in regular season. I think one of the keys will be how well Collin Luther plays. Ryan seems to always "get his." Twin brother will be a key along with how well Hampton's players other than Luthers deal with North Allegheny's pressure defense.
Halftime in Class AAA girls: South Park leads Hopewell, 38-20. South Park with five 3-pointers. Shatori Walker-Kimbrough 12 points for Hopewell on 4 of 12 shooting.
Low scoring game in Class AA boys semifinals. Can Burrell make championship for first time in school history? Leading Quaker Valley 15-10
Looks like we might have new girls champion in Class AAA. Big Brad Everett reports South Park is leading defending champ Hopewell, 32-13.
Halftime: North Catholic girls lead Serra, 26-19.
End of first quarter in Class A girls semifinal: North Catholic leads Serra, 11-6. This from Ryan Riordan of P-G.
6:27 p.m. - Game time about a half hour away here at Chartiers Valley. I still say Char Valley has one of best sound systems and best choices of music in WPIAL. Good mix of old and new.
Westinghouse won its first City League title since 1998 when it defeated Perry, 61-52. (Westinghouse pictured celebrating).