PIAA Class-AAAAA Playoff Preview
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Crimson's Ghost
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PIAA Class-AAAAA Playoff Preview
The PIAA Class-AAAAA doesn’t quite have the stat power as some other larger classifications, but there are still some really good teams. Here are some teams, names, and games to watch when the road to Hershey begins on Friday for 32 teams.
The Favorite: Mars
The Fighting Planets enter the state tournament with a 24-1 record. Mars’ only loss came to a team from California that took place back in December. Mars has now reeled off 19-straight games, including a memorable buzzer-beater win over Moon in the WPIAL Finals at the Petersen Events Center.
Mars is led by 5-foot-10 senior guard Andrew Recchia, who is set to attend Shippensburg next season. He averages a team-high 18.2 points per game. Clairton transfer Khori Ramseur-Fusco added another outside scoring thread for Mars this season.
The man in the middle is 6-6 280-pound Michael Carmody, a 2020 football recruit who is a four-star in the rivals.com database. He’s pretty good on the hardwood, too. He averages 15 points and an astonishing 16.4 rebounds a game.
The Challenger: Moon
Moon took Mars to the limit over the weekend, and I expect these two teams may see each other again in the Western Final. Moon only has two losses this season, with the other one being a double-overtime three-point loss to Charters Valley.
Moon is led by Donovan Johnson, a 6-foot-7 wing that has drawn some interest from Pitt and others. He is the younger brother of former Pitt player and current North Carolina star Cameron Johnson. He is a big-time player at the high school level and his transfer from OLSH really helped set Moon over the top this season.
The Sleeper: Abington Heights
The Comets are another out of this world team (yea, that’s a bad one). Abington Heights only has two losses this season and enter the state playoffs on a 20-game winning streak. The Comets are led by guard George Tinsley, a Binghamton recruit. Abington Heights is the defending state champion, so they really won’t be slept on too much.
Don’t forget about: Archbishop Wood
Wood is good at everything, aren’t they? The Vikings are a solid team and enter this tournament as the top seed out of District-12, after having defeated Mastery Charter North last week. Wood features Daeson Shepherd, perhaps the top sophomore in the state.
The Most Important Player: Donovan Johnson
I am going to say it’s Donovan Johnson. He is skilled and missed some games in the state playoffs last season for OLSH, so it’s his time to shine. Johnson is on a lot of schools’ radars, but does not have a ton of offers just yet. I think a strong showing could help blow the lid off and get some more offers on the board.
5 other teams to remember
Johnstown: The Trojans haven’t been tested too much this season, but have some good lead players including 6-foot-7 senior Dewayne Jones and 6-1 junior guard Anderson Franklin.
Mastery Charter North: Jamir Reed (Morgan State) and Thaj Campbell (undecided) are two seniors that should be able to win this team some games.
Lower Dauphin: The District-3 champs are a senior-led team that won a very competitive district.
Meadville: Lashon Lindsey is a 6-foot-8 senior that averages 24 points and 10 rebounds per game. He is one of the school’s all-time best players.
Penn Hills: The Indians won the state title in football, and there is still enough talent in the school to be a very good basketball power.
First Round Picks:
Sun Valley over Garden Spot
Northern over Southern Lehigh
Abington Heights over Pottsgrove
Mastery Charter North over Wester Chester Rustin
Archbishop Wood over Holy Ghost Prep
Penncrest over Wallenpaupack
Frankford over Crestwood
Lampeter-Strasburg over Pottsville
Lower Dauphin over Franklin Regional
Johnstown over Elizabethtown
West Chester East over Archbishop Ryan
Moon over Northeastern
Mars over Milton Hershey
Chartiers Valley over William Penn
Meadville over Shaler
Penn Hills over Muhlenberg
The Favorite: Mars
The Fighting Planets enter the state tournament with a 24-1 record. Mars’ only loss came to a team from California that took place back in December. Mars has now reeled off 19-straight games, including a memorable buzzer-beater win over Moon in the WPIAL Finals at the Petersen Events Center.
Mars is led by 5-foot-10 senior guard Andrew Recchia, who is set to attend Shippensburg next season. He averages a team-high 18.2 points per game. Clairton transfer Khori Ramseur-Fusco added another outside scoring thread for Mars this season.
The man in the middle is 6-6 280-pound Michael Carmody, a 2020 football recruit who is a four-star in the rivals.com database. He’s pretty good on the hardwood, too. He averages 15 points and an astonishing 16.4 rebounds a game.
The Challenger: Moon
Moon took Mars to the limit over the weekend, and I expect these two teams may see each other again in the Western Final. Moon only has two losses this season, with the other one being a double-overtime three-point loss to Charters Valley.
Moon is led by Donovan Johnson, a 6-foot-7 wing that has drawn some interest from Pitt and others. He is the younger brother of former Pitt player and current North Carolina star Cameron Johnson. He is a big-time player at the high school level and his transfer from OLSH really helped set Moon over the top this season.
The Sleeper: Abington Heights
The Comets are another out of this world team (yea, that’s a bad one). Abington Heights only has two losses this season and enter the state playoffs on a 20-game winning streak. The Comets are led by guard George Tinsley, a Binghamton recruit. Abington Heights is the defending state champion, so they really won’t be slept on too much.
Don’t forget about: Archbishop Wood
Wood is good at everything, aren’t they? The Vikings are a solid team and enter this tournament as the top seed out of District-12, after having defeated Mastery Charter North last week. Wood features Daeson Shepherd, perhaps the top sophomore in the state.
The Most Important Player: Donovan Johnson
I am going to say it’s Donovan Johnson. He is skilled and missed some games in the state playoffs last season for OLSH, so it’s his time to shine. Johnson is on a lot of schools’ radars, but does not have a ton of offers just yet. I think a strong showing could help blow the lid off and get some more offers on the board.
5 other teams to remember
Johnstown: The Trojans haven’t been tested too much this season, but have some good lead players including 6-foot-7 senior Dewayne Jones and 6-1 junior guard Anderson Franklin.
Mastery Charter North: Jamir Reed (Morgan State) and Thaj Campbell (undecided) are two seniors that should be able to win this team some games.
Lower Dauphin: The District-3 champs are a senior-led team that won a very competitive district.
Meadville: Lashon Lindsey is a 6-foot-8 senior that averages 24 points and 10 rebounds per game. He is one of the school’s all-time best players.
Penn Hills: The Indians won the state title in football, and there is still enough talent in the school to be a very good basketball power.
First Round Picks:
Sun Valley over Garden Spot
Northern over Southern Lehigh
Abington Heights over Pottsgrove
Mastery Charter North over Wester Chester Rustin
Archbishop Wood over Holy Ghost Prep
Penncrest over Wallenpaupack
Frankford over Crestwood
Lampeter-Strasburg over Pottsville
Lower Dauphin over Franklin Regional
Johnstown over Elizabethtown
West Chester East over Archbishop Ryan
Moon over Northeastern
Mars over Milton Hershey
Chartiers Valley over William Penn
Meadville over Shaler
Penn Hills over Muhlenberg
Re: PIAA Class-AAAAA Playoff Preview
This sounds more like Interstellar...
If only closed minds came with closed mouths