☛ WPIAL Class 6A

1. Central Catholic (18-7) — Class 6A doesn’t have an overwhelming team, but Central Catholic is as good as anyone. Senior Dante DePante figures to be one of the best guards in the WPIAL after averaging 20.1 points for last year’s WPIAL semifinalist. Debaba Tschiebwe, brother of University of Kentucky star Oscar Tschiebwe, is a 6-foot-6 senior who gives Central an inside presence.

2. New Castle (27-3) — The Red Hurricanes won Class 4A and 5A championships in recent years, but got bumped up to 6A under the PIAA’s competitive-balance rule. This team doesn’t have much size, but you know they’ll be highly competitive. Leading scorer Mike Wells graduated but seniors Isaiah Boice and Jonathan Anderson make for a nice guard combo.

3. Butler (13-10) — Leading scorer Devin Carney is now at Duquesne, but senior Madden Clement is one of the best shooters in Class 6A and junior Braylan Littlejohn showed flashes of excellence last year as a sophomore.

4. Seneca Valley (9-13) — The Raiders are an experienced team with a trio of three-year starters — senior guard Luke Lawson, senior forward Aiden Lyczek and senior guard Connor Oros.

5. Upper St. Clair (16-8) — Upper St. Clair won a section title last year and with three returning starters (Devin Hall, Nick Sukernek, Matt Gaither), the Panthers might be the team to beat in Section 2 (Class 6A has only two sections). But watch out for Baldwin and Norwin in Section 2 and there is always highly competitive Mt. Lebanon.