The basketball state championship matchups are set for Hershey

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/

FROM KEITH GROLLER

The eight PIAA title-game matchups are set for this weekend at Hershey and you'll notice that the southeastern part of the state -- particularly Philadelphia (District 12)-- continues to be the dominant region of Pennsylvania when it comes to PIAA basketball.

But everybody already knew that already.

Philadelphia entered the PIAA in 2004-05 with the Public League programs coming first and then the Catholic League teams joining the mix in 2008-09.

In the first four basketball seasons, between 2005 and 2008, just two state championships went to District 12 -- Prep Charter in 2A boys in 2006 and '07.

The arrival of the Catholic League teams has changed everything.

Since 2009, District 12 has won 16 state championships -- nine by Catholic League schools, seven by Public League programs. Over the same five tournaments, only District 7 (Pittsburgh) and District One (suburban Philadelphia) came close to District 12 with nine and seven state championships respectively.

So that means of the past 40 state champs (eight classes in each of the past five years) three districts have combined for 32 of them and 23 are from the southeast quadrant.

As you'll see below with this weekend's matchups, the rich have a chance to get much richer with more gold:

FRIDAY SCHEDULE

12:10 p.m. -- 2A GIRLS: Seton LaSalle (District 7, 26-4) vs. Neumann-Goretti (District 12, 29-0).

2:10 p.m. -- A BOYS: Lincoln Park (District 7, 29-1) vs. Math, Civics, Science (District 12, 15-14)

6:10 p.m. -- 4A GIRLS: Cumberland Valley (District 3, 27-5) vs. Spring-Ford (Distict 1, 26-5)

8:10 p.m. -- 3A BOYS: Susquehanna Township (District 3, 23-7) vs. Neumann-Goretti (District 12, 26-4)

SATURDAY SCHEDULE

12:10 p.m. -- A GIRLS: Vincentian Academy (District 7, 26-3) vs. Old Forge (District 2)

2:10 p.m. -- 2A BOYS:  Seton LaSalle (District 7, 29-1) vs. Constitution (District 12, 27-5)

6:10 p.m. --  3A GIRLS: Blackhawk (District 7, 27-2) vs. Archbishop Wood (District 12, 25-3)

8:10 p.m. -- 4A BOYS: New Castle (District 7, 30-0) vs. LaSalle College (District 12, 23-6).