Chester boys’ basketball team gets top seed in district Class AAAA

Chester, Council Rock North, Plymouth Whitemarsh, and Upper Darby are the top seeds in the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA boys' basketball tournament.

The Clippers, champions of the Del-Val League, were seeded No. 1 in the 32-team tournament for the third time in the last four seasons. The Indians landed the No. 2 spot, followed by the defending state champion Colonials, and the Royals.

On the girls' side, Council Rock North is the No. 1 seed in the 32-team Class AAAA playoffs.

The Indians, first-place finishers in the Suburban One League National Conference, are followed by Mount St. Joseph, Downingtown East, and Cheltenham.

The boys' Class AAAA tournament is scheduled to begin Friday, with the girls' Class AAAA action set to start Saturday.

If a school has both a boys' and girls' AAAA squad hosting a first-round game, that school may elect to make the two contests a doubleheader, either on Friday or Saturday.

In the boys' 11-team Class AAA district tournament, slated to start on Feb. 23, top seed Octorara, No. 2 Holy Ghost Prep, and No. 3 Lower Moreland were awarded first-round byes.

In the 12-team girls' AAA tournament, with a Feb. 22 tip-off, Villa Maria took the No. 1 seed, followed by Nazareth, Springfield-Delco, and defending champ St. Basil.

The district's Class AA and Class A seeds for boys and girls have yet to be determined.

Tournament pairings

Here are the pairings for the PIAA District 1 Class AAAA and Class AAA tournaments in boys' and girls' basketball. Seeded position in parentheses.

CLASS AAAA (nine teams advance to the state tournament)

(32) Perkiomen Valley at (1) Chester; (17) Springfield-Delco at (16) Cheltenham; (25) Upper Dublin at (8) North Penn; (24) Strath Haven at (9) Bensalem; (29) Kennett at (4) Upper Darby; (20) Methacton at (13) Lower Merion; (28) Central Bucks East at (5) Neshaminy; (21) Central Bucks West at (12) Glen Mills; (31) Great Valley at (2) Council Rock North; (18) Spring-Ford at (15) Wissahickon; (26) Ridley at (7) Norristown; (23) Souderton at (10) Coatesville; (30) Interboro at (3) Plymouth Whitemarsh; (19) West Chester Henderson at (14) Pennridge; (27) Penncrest at (6) West Chester Rustin; (22) Conestoga at (11) Penn Wood.

CLASS AAA (three teams advance to state tournament)

(9) Phoenixville at (8) Upper Merion, winner at (1) Octorara; (10) Sun Valley at (7) Harriton, winner at (2) Holy Ghost Prep; (11) Upper Moreland at (6) Bishop Shanahan, winner at (3) Lower Moreland; (5) Pottstown at (4) Pope John Paul II (quarterfinals).

Class AAAA (nine teams advance to the state tournament)

(32) Central Bucks West at (1) Council Rock North; (17) Abington at (16) North Penn; (25) Chester at (8) Central Bucks East; (24) Neshaminy at (9) Spring-Ford; (29) Souderton at (4) Cheltenham; (20) Plymouth Whitemarsh at (13) William Tennent; (28) Great Valley at (5) Lower Merion; (21) Haverford at (12) Downingtown West; (31) Bishop Shanahan at (2) Mount St. Joseph; (18) Upper Darby at (15) West Chester Rustin; (26) Coatesville at (7) Upper Dublin; (23) Unionville at (10) Council Rock South; (30) Academy Park at (3) Downingtown East; (19) Radnor at (14) Sun Valley; (27) Central Bucks South at (6) Boyertown; (22) Garnet Valley at (11) Avon Grove.

CLASS AAA (three teams advance to state tournament)

(9) Marple Newtown at (8) Merion Mercy, winner at (1) Villa Maria; (12) Pope John Paul II at (5) Oxford, winner at (4) St. Basil; (10) Harriton at (7) Upper Merion, winner at (2) Nazareth; (11) Phoenixville at (6) Villa Joseph Marie, winner at (3) Springfield (Delco).