WPIAL Class 4A Boys Basketball Championship

No. 2 North Catholic (19-5, 11-1 Class 4A Section 1) vs No. 1 Belle Vernon Area (20-4, 11-1 Class 4A Section 3) – Thursday 9 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center

Pregame at 8:50 p.m. on WSN Audio - LISTEN BROADCAST

WSN Broadcasters: Sean Meyers & Greg Bisignani

About the Trojans: North Catholic posted a dominant 71-42 victory against third-seeded Beaver Area in the semifinals on Saturday at North Allegheny High School. In the mercy-rule victory, Jason Fredericks poured in 30 points, while Jude Rottmann contributed 25 points. On the year, Fredericks averages 19.3 points, while Rottmann has netted 15.5 points per game. Senior guards Owen Maddalon and Joe Waskiewicz are also integral pieces for the Trojans. After garnering a first-round bye, NC ousted two-time defending WPIAL champion Deer Lakes 65-51 in the quarterfinals, the third win of the season for the Trojans against the Lancers. Of the Trojans’ five losses, only a 61-56 setback at Knoch on Jan. 10 came against a WPIAL foe. Jim Rocco, who previously guided Penn-Trafford for five years and led Penn Hills to titles in the early 2000s, is in his fourth season on the bench for NC. The Trojans have captured five WPIAL crowns, most recently in 2020.

About the Leopards: Belle Vernon Area notched the narrowest of victories in the semifinals on Saturday, as senior forward Tommy Davis sank a foul shot with five seconds left to give the Leopards a 57-56 victory against No. 4 Avonworth at Peters Township High School. Trevor Kovatch, a Pitt-Greensburg soccer commit, led BVA with 17 points against the Antelopes, while Zion Moore notched 14 points. Moore, who has surpassed 2,000 career points, averages 25 points per game. He ranks second in BVA history in career points, despite playing at Ringgold as a freshman. Senior Dom Ghilani, a Case Western Reserve University football pledge, and junior Curty Wade are also vital to the success of the Leps. Earning a bye as the top seed, Belle Vernon edged Elizabeth-Forward 55-51 in the quarterfinals, winning for the third time against the Warriors this campaign. The Leopards are riding a 14-game winning streak, with their last setback coming on Dec. 27 at Deer Lakes when BVA was without Moore, Davis, and Wade. Joe Salvino, the legendary coach who ranks second in WPIAL boys basketball history in career victories, will retire following the season. He’s in his seventh year at BVA after 34 years guiding Monessen. Belle Vernon’s lone boys basketball title came in 1978, and the Leopards finished with silver in 2020 with a loss to Highlands. In the most recent clash between BVA and North Catholic, the Leopards suffered a one-point loss in the 2021 WPIAL semifinals.