PIAA boys’ basketball semifinals: A look at the local matchups
In Class 6A, Father Judge will face Imhotep Charter on Saturday at Norristown High. Roman Catholic will take on Upper St. Clair in the other semifinal.
Eight boys’ basketball teams from the Philadelphia area are just one win away from making a trip to the Giant Center in Hershey for a chance to earn PIAA championships.
The state finals are slated for March 27-29. The semifinals will take place at neutral sites this Friday and Saturday. Some teams will travel to Allentown and Chambersburg while others will play closer to home.
Here’s what to know about the local matchups in the boys’ semifinals.
Class 1A
Sankofa Freedom Academy vs. Lancaster Country Day
Sankofa Freedom’s postseason run, which includes a four-game winning streak, has led to a state semifinal appearance for the first time since 2019, the last time it won a PIAA Class 1A championship.
The Warriors will face Lancaster Country Day at Plymouth Whitemarsh on Friday at 5:30 p.m. Sankofa knocked off Bethlehem Christian, the District 11 champion, and Chester Charter, District 1 champ, to earn its spot in the semifinals.
Sankofa is led by junior Nafis Dubose, who is averaging 16.2 points a game, and senior Asim Hardy, the team’s leader in assists.
Class 3A
West Catholic vs. Holy Cross
West Catholic is one win away from contending for its second PIAA championship in school history. The Burrs will take on Holy Cross of Dunmore, Lackawanna County, in the Class 3A semifinal on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Parkland High School.
After finishing 7-6 in the Catholic League regular season, the Burrs return to the semifinals for the first time since 2023, the year Temple’s Zion Stanford and Merrimack’s Adam “Budd” Clark led the program to its first state title.
» READ MORE: Meet Roman Catholic’s most dedicated basketball fans, ‘fine gentlemen’ who follow them near and far
Class 4A
Devon Prep vs. Valley View
Devon Prep, the defending PIAA Class 4A champion, is heading back to the state semifinals on Friday at 7:30 p.m. to face Valley View at Parkland High School.
The Tide have been on a roll this season, making a Catholic League semifinal appearance. Last year, they earned their second state title in three years with a victory over Franklin Area.
They have a veteran starting lineup that features five seniors; Reece Craft, Mason Thear, Zane Conlon, Calvin Smith, and Shane Doyle.
Class 5A
Upper Moreland vs. Neumann Goretti
Upper Moreland and Neumann Goretti will meet in the Class 5A semifinals on Friday (7 p.m.) at Pottstown High.
The Golden Bears, who compete in the Suburban One League, knocked off PCL foe Bonner-Prendergast in the quarterfinals, 46-45. The program has never won a state crown.
The Saints are coming off a thrilling 76-69 overtime win against Penncrest in the quarterfinals. Junior guard DeShawn Yates scored 34 points, the most by a Neumann Goretti player in state playoff history.
Class 6A
Father Judge vs. Imhotep
The PCL champ will have another chance to face the Public League champ in the Class 6A semifinals.
Father Judge and Imhotep Charter will meet in a rematch Saturday (1 p.m.) at Norristown High. The two teams first met in the District 12 championship, as the Panthers topped the Crusaders, 58-54.
Imhotep holds 10 state crowns, while this year marks the first time in school history that Judge has made a state playoff appearance.
» READ MORE: Imhotep knocks off Father Judge in dramatic District 12 boys’ basketball championship
Roman Catholic vs. Upper St. Clair
Roman Catholic, a four-time state titleholder, takes on Upper St. Clair in the Class 6A semifinals on Saturday (2:30 p.m.) at Chambersburg High School.
The Cahillites beat Coatesville, 52-42, in the quarterfinals to earn their trip back to the semifinals. They are led by sophomore Tyler Sutton, seniors Shareef Jackson and Sebastian Edwards, and junior Sammy Jackson.
If the Cahillites prevail, they’ll face the winner of the Judge-Imhotep game.