PIAA Class 3A Championship

Greensburg Central Catholic (23-7) vs. Holy Redeemer (22-8) – Thursday 6 p.m. at the GIANT Center in Hershey

Pregame at 5:45 p.m. on WSN Audio

WSN Broadcaster: Sean Meyers

About the Centurions: Greensburg Central Catholic finally got over the hump in its fourth matchup against Shady Side Academy on Monday, as the Centurions knocked off the Bulldogs 49-27 at Norwin High School, redeeming a loss to SSA with WPIAL gold on the line at the Petersen Events Center in late February. In the most recent clash, Avery Jones paced GCC with 16 points, while Morgan Skoloda added nine points, Jayla Peterson scored eight, and Erica Gribble contributed seven points. That lopsided victory was the latest in a stretch of dominance in the state playoffs for Greensburg Central Catholic. Previously, GCC dismantled Cranberry 66-14, Northwestern 50-36, and Trinity (Camp Hill) 65-51. Although her scoring output was modest by her standards in the state semis, Erica Gribble has ascended to third on the career scoring list for Westmoreland County girls basketball, amassing 2,362 points. Peterson topped 1,000 points earlier this season, as well, while Jones has emerged as a legitimate scoring option through postseason play. Under the guidance of head coach Chris Skatell, GCC boasts a scoring margin of 62.7-35.5.

About the Royals: Holy Redeemer locked down defensively in a 39-27 victory against Hughesville on Monday at Hazleton High School, ousting the District 4 Champion. In the triumph, McKenzie Chimock registered 14 points, while Gillian Parsons scored nine. After finishing as runner-up to Dunmore in District 2, the Royals have rebounded with state victories against defending PIAA champs Loyalsock Township (61-55), Imhotep Charter (67-62), and Schuylkill Haven (51-36). While the Royals don’t boast players who have committed to play college hoops, the experienced unit includes four senior starters. Bella Boylan paces the team with a scoring average of 13.5 points, while Chimock is just behind, at 13.3 points per contest. With veteran head coach John Jezorwski leading the way, Holy Redeemer holds a scoring advantage of 51.5-38.4.

About the Matchup: This is the third appearance in the state final for GCC, as the Centurions finished with silver in 1996, but captured the title in 1997, edging Trinity (Camp Hill). Conversely, this is the first appearance in the title game for Holy Redeemer, which was formed in 2007. Bishop Hoban, one of the four schools that merged to create the district, played in the PIAA championship in 2000.