The area’s two remaining teams in the state basketball playoffs return to action tonight. The second round of the Girls AA bracket features Penns Manor against Brentwood at Hempfield High School (4:30 airtime/5 o’clock tipoff on 92.5 FM U92) and Blairsville against Vincentian at Armstrong High (6:00 airtime/6:30 tipoff on Cat Country 106.3 FM).
Blairsville (24-3) and WPIAL champion Vincentian (24-1) met in the state playoffs in 2015. Bobcats’ coach Ralph McGinnis says this Vincentian team is not as big as the one three years ago, but Blairsville will have to be on top of their game defensively, as the Royals feature penetrating guards who love to get to the basket. McGinnis says his defenders will have to clog the lane and force Vincentian to shoot from beyond the arc.
22-5 Penns Manor comes into its game with Brentwood on a high after traveling to Enola, PA last Friday and beating District 3 champion Camp Hill. As they frequently do, the Comets turned it on in the second half of the game, outscoring the Lions 39-20, including an 11-point edge in the fourth quarter. Brentwood is 18-7, and coming off a come-from-behind. 7-point win over District 5 champ Windber
