Kehler On Hoops: PIAA-1A Boys’ Tournament Preview
Written by: Andy Herr on March 3, 2025
David Kehler, All-State voter and contributor to LLHoops.com, checks in to give us his preview of the upcoming 1A bracket which begins this weekend and will end with 1A’s state championship game, slated for a 2pm tip at the Giant Center in Hershey on Thursday, March 27th. Enjoy
PIAA State Championship Tournament Preview
Article by David Kehler
The PIAA state championship tournament begins on Friday and concludes on Saturday, March 29. Overall, 192 teams will contest for championships in a single elimination format. Champions will be crowned in six classifications, which are mostly based on the number of boys in the high school. Class 1A contains the smallest schools, and Class 6A the largest. Between Friday and March 29, a total of 186 tournament games will be played. The PIAA.org website updates the schedule and results of the tournament. Unlike the NCAA’s March Madness, seeding is not based on any sort of team performance or power ranking. As such, key games can—and will—occur in the early rounds of the PIAA tournament. Here are some predictions:
CLASS 1A
Neighborhood Academy, from Pittsburgh, is the overwhelming favorite to win the Class 1A state championship. The team has a 24-1 record and is the PIAA District 7 champion. Led by 6’ 3” senior Courtney Wallace, a Yale recruit, the team scored an average of 72 points per game this season, while surrendering an average of 41 points per contest. Quick and deep, Neighborhood Academy has several good outside shooters. They are in the western bracket.
Most of the other main title contenders are also in the western bracket. Serra Catholic is 21-4, with three of the losses to Neighborhood Academy. Serra Catholic has a high-powered offense, averaging 70 points per game this season. Otto-Eldred is 25-1, with their only loss to Cameron County on Valentine’s Day. However, Otto-Eldred defeated Cameron County three times this season, including on February 25. Otto-Eldred should meet Serra Catholic in the second round. Elk County Catholic is also in the western bracket, and they are 24-1, the lone loss being to Otto-Eldred by a point in the District 9 championship game. District 5 champion Turkeyfoot Valley Area is 22-3. They lost at Shalom Christian Academy 82 to 71 on February 1. LaAcademia Charter is also in the western bracket. LaAcademia is located in Lancaster but is not a member of a league. Their 12-12 record this season is deceiving, as they have played a tremendous schedule, with losses to Reading, Chester, Devon Prep, Conwell-Egan Catholic, and Brooklyn power Bishop Loughlin. They also were defeated by Lancaster Country Day.
Lancaster Country Day is in the eastern bracket, with an opening game on Friday at North Penn-Liberty. Lancaster Country Day’s prospects in this game are favorable. While 18-8 North Penn-Liberty has won three consecutive games, the team finished in third place is the Northern Tier Conference.
The best first round game in Class 1A will be played at Benjamin Franklin HS in Philadelphia between York Country Day and Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter. York Country Day is 22-1, the only loss coming in the District 3 tournament to Shalom Christian Academy. Sankofa is 15-11 and a member of the Philadelphia Public League. Sankofa has played a challenging schedule, and their biggest win is over Wings Academy, a traditional power from the Bronx.
Chester Charter Scholars Academy is also in the eastern bracket. The team is 20-4, with two of the losses to good teams in higher classifications—Constitution and Delaware County Christian. Chester Charter plays Ephrata Mennonite on Friday. Bethlehem Christian is 22-2, and one of their losses was by 79 to 72 to District 11 Class 3A champion Catasauqua. District 3 champion High Point Baptist Academy is also in the eastern bracket. They are 15-6 this season, and, due to favorable matchups, the team has a very good chance of advancing far into the tournament.
Top teams: Neighborhood Academy, Serra Catholic, Elk County Catholic, Otto-Eldred, Turkeyfoot Valley, LaAcademia, York Country Day, Bethlehem Christian, and Sankofa Freedom Academy.
Dark horse: Bethlehem Christian
Projected final four: Neighborhood Academy, Otto-Eldred, High Point Baptist, and Sankofa.
Projected championship game: Neighborhood Academy over Sankofa.
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