WPIAL Class 6A Girls Basketball Championship

No. 2 Norwin (19-4) vs No. 1 Canon-McMillan (20-4) – Saturday 5 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center

About the Knights: Norwin, which has reached the WPIAL title game for the third year in a row, won nine straight to open the season. However, an injury to senior Ava Christopher sparked four losses in a span of the next 10 games for the Knights. Since her return to the lineup, however, Norwin has won four consecutive tilts, including playoff wins against No. 7 Hempfield Area 57-42 and third seed and defending WPIAL champ Upper St. Clair 46-28. During the regular season, Christopher paced the Knights at 10.6 points per game, while sophomore Nia O’Barto and freshman Giuliana Giannikas, who both typically come off the bench, were just shy of averaging 10 points. Junior forward Liz Yarosik led the Knights with 7.3 rebounds per contest, along with 8.4 points. The Knights average 53.3 points per game, the best mark in Class 6A. Norwin head coach Brian Brozeski is in his 15th season. He was at the helm of the three previous Norwin titles, including the most recent crown in 2024.

About the Big Macs: Entering the season with high expectations, Canon-McMillan won its first six tilts. After a few setbacks in the middle of the regular season, however, the Big Macs have surged at the right time, riding a nine-game winning streak. That includes playoff wins against Mount Lebanon (37-24) and Seneca Valley (47-42). A strong senior class consists of Madison Clair, Samantha Miller, and Lauren Borella, while junior Faye Saunders provides a strong interior presence. The Big Macs permit 37.2 points per contest, the best mark in Class 6A. John Fontana is in his third year guiding CM. The Big Macs have never captured a WPIAL title.

About the Matchup: This is the rubber match, as the Knights captured a 56-52 win in Canonsburg, while Canon-McMillan returned the favor with a 44-37 triumph at Norwin. A year ago, Norwin prevailed 42-26 in the WPIAL semifinals.