NORTH HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Aubrey Robinson nearly shot the lights out Friday night for Greater Johnstown.
The junior guard couldn’t miss during the first half of the Trojans’ PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal against Chartiers Valley at Norwin High School.
But when the main lights inside the gymnasium actually went out with 38.5 seconds left in the second quarter, it wasn’t the fault of Robinson, who had made four 3-pointers to that point. Those good fortunes wouldn’t continue in the fourth quarter as the Trojans’ season came to an end with a 42-36 loss.
“That’s March basketball,” Greater Johnstown coach Ryan Durham said. “We had a really good game plan and this game is what playing in the Elite Eight is all about.”
Robinson made six 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 20 points, but he also impacted play on the defensive end as the Trojans (20-5) gave the District 7 champion Colts (26-2) everything they could handle.
But it was the Chartiers Valley defense that made the difference in the fourth quarter as it kept Robinson from scoring.
“We had to start paying more attention to his shooting,” Chartiers Valley coach Corey Dotchin said. “We had to guard (Robinson) tighter and start closing out on him. We’ve been a good defensive team all year long.”
The Trojans were a team that defied expectations.
With Donte Tisinger Jr. playing his freshman season at Boston University, Greater Johnstown reaching another PIAA quarterfinal might have seemed a long shot, but the Trojans proved they belonged.
Even against Chartiers Valley, which returned the bulk of its contributors from a team that defeated the Trojans 58-38 in the same round and location as 2025.
Raheem Braswell, Amier Robinson, Tommy Ashcom and Messiah Armstrong turned in strong defensive efforts. Braswell finished with six points and six rebounds.
“What this group did this year says a lot about the program and where it’s at, and a lot about them,” Durham said. “These kids worked hard all season and all offseason, and we had a successful year.”
A year that looked like it would continue into the semifinals at times.
Aubrey Robinson kept Greater Johnstown close throughout the first half thanks to 14 points.
He made a pair of 3-pointers in the game’s opening minutes to stake the Trojans to an 8-2 lead. His third of the half halted a 14-2 run for Chartiers Valley and trimmed the Colts’ lead to 16-13 with 5:03 left in the second quarter.
Greater Johnstown, which defeated Shaler and Gateway in the opening two rounds of the state playoffs, grabbed a 19-18 lead on a 3-pointer from senior Armstrong and tied the score 21-all just before the halftime buzzer on a Braswell drive.
“We were right where we wanted to be at halftime,” Durham said.
Chartiers Valley shook off a slow start when senior Julius Best (18 points) and sophomore Silas Verzich entered the game midway through the first quarter.
The pair combined for 10 points – seven coming from Best – during a 14-2 run that put the Colts up 16-10 early in the second quarter.
Best provided another lift a couple of minutes into the third quarter after the Trojans grabbed a 26-21 lead. Greater Johnstown led through most of the third quarter until a Julian Semplice lay-in gave the Colts a 31-30 lead.
“We have a tremendous amount of respect for Johnstown,” Dotchin said. “Those guys are running from Johnstown to Pittsburgh to Johnstown all summer, and we knew it would be a battle.”
The Trojans forced a 34-all tie with about three minutes remaining, but were outscored 8-2 down the stretch.
Five area basketball teams will play in PIAA quarterfinal games Saturday across the commonwealth.
In Class 3A boys, District 6 No. 3 seed Westmont Hilltop (21-6) battles District 6 champion Bishop Guilfoyle Academy (25-4) at 2:30 p.m. at Claysburg-Kimmel High School, and District 6 runner-up Forest Hills (25-4) opposes District 3 champ Trinity (22-2) at 2 p.m. at Penns Valley High School.
District 6 Class 2A boys champion United (29-0) takes on District 12 runner-up Paul Robeson (22-2) at 1 p.m. at Mechanicsburg High School.
District 6 Class 1A girls runner-up Bishop Carroll Catholic (25-4) battles District 6 No. 4 seed Williamsburg (24-5) at 1 p.m. at Altoona Fieldhouse.
In Class 4A girls, District 5-6 champion Penn Cambria (21-5) meets District 7 winner Oakland Catholic (23-2) at 3 p.m. at Armstrong Junior-Senior High School.
• This is the United boys’ first trip to the quarterfinals. The 29-0 Lions were were 0-5 in the state playoffs until this year. United beat Clarion Area 53-39 Wednesday in Kittanning.
Senior point guard Carter Payne, with well over 1,000 career points, led all scorers with 15 points for the Heritage Conference champions.
Junior Ryan Felix added 11 points, 21 rebounds and five blocks. A 10-2 run in the second quarter allowed the Lions to lead 29-13 at halftime. United coasted to victory.
United has benefited from strong fan support. The Lions’ side was packed with spectators at Armstrong Junior-Senior High School, a constant theme this postseason.
“It’s been really awesome,” United coach Matt Rodkey said Wednesday.
“All the well wishes that we get from everybody, all the texts – as you saw, it was a sea of blue again today, which is awesome. It’s just unbelievable. This season, 29-0, what can you say? It’s been great. The following has been so nice. It’s really brought our community together. Not just the community of United, but Indiana County in general. We see people here, kids that we play against wearing blue shirts. It’s great. We get texts from all different people from different schools, from other coaches. I just feel really blessed by what’s going on here. I’m so proud of our kids. I’m so proud of our coaching staff for putting a good game plan together. This community has just been unbelievable.”
United will look to keep advancing against a strong Paul Robeson team.
“It’s definitely a new experience for everyone, too,” Felix said. “We just got to keep doing what we’re doing and be ready for the next game.”
Paul Robeson, which lost 67-55 to Constitution in the District 12 title game Feb. 27, beat York Catholic 56-50 and Susquehanna 77-40. The Huskies advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in program history. Jasir Tyler and Hanal Williamson each netted 15 points against Susquehanna.
Samir Toori added 13, and Raheem DeLoatch chipped in 12.
The Paul Robeson-United winner will face either District 3 runner-up Delone Catholic or District 2 champ Old Forge Tuesday in the semifinals.
• Forest Hills avenged a 73-34 loss to Aliquippa in a 2025 PIAA quarterfinal with a 63-55 victory Wednesday.
The Rangers returned to the quarterfinals for the second year in a row and seek their first trip to the semifinals in program history.
The Rangers’ trio of 1,000-point scorers each had big nights. Forest Hills 6-foot-6 junior Dylan Stohon scored 20 points and pulled down six rebounds. Senior Koy McGough tallied 16 points, with three 3-pointers. Senior Brandon Gregovich scored eight points in a rare role of coming off the bench.
Aliquippa outscored Forest Hills 21-14 in the third quarter to close within 51-49. Forest Hills outscored Aliquippa 12-6 in the fourth quarter.
Trinity beat River Valley 78-42 and Mohawk 69-50. The Shamrocks led 23-10 after the first quarter and outscored Mohawk 20-6 in the fourth.
The Forest Hills-Trinity winner will face either District 6 champion Bishop Guilfoyle or District 6 No. 3 seed Westmont Hilltop Tuesday in the semifinals.
• This is Westmont Hilltop’s first time in the quarterfinals since 1952.
The Hilltoppers also advanced to the same round in 1947 and 1949.
Westmont Hilltop defeated Seton LaSalle 63-55 Wednesday. Senior and Frostburg State commit Jack Wesner scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Sophomore Joziah Jashienski scored a team-high 14 points to go with nine rebounds.
Junior Brock Bowles totaled 10 points and six rebounds.
“We really made an emphasis to guard and rebound, don’t give up offensive rebounds,” Wesner said.
“That was a big part of our game plan early.”
Westmont Hilltop led 12-8 after one quarter and 22-16 at halftime. Seton LaSalle closed within 33-30, but the Hilltoppers outscored the Rebels 13-5 in the final eight minutes.
Westmont Hilltop has won six of its past seven games since Feb. 10, with the lone setback during that stretch coming at Forest Hills (44-41) in a District 6-3A semifinal Feb. 24.
The Hilltoppers lost 66-57 at Bishop Guilfoyle Feb. 3. Bishop Guilfoyle’s Troy Ruggery (19 points), Jake Kissell (15), Grant Okonak (12) and Taurean Consiglio (11) each scored in double figures. Bishop Guilfoyle outscored Westmont Hilltop 36-23 in the second half.
Westmont Hilltop junior Grant Craig netted 20 points, and Wesner added 12. Both Craig and Wesner have scored over 1,000 points.
Bishop Guilfoyle beat Ligonier Valley 62-43 and South Park 65-32.
Bishop Guilfoyle’s Consiglio, a 1,000-point scorer, hit four treys and finished with 24 points. Ruggery added 15.
The Bishop Guilfoyle-Westmont Hilltop winner will meet either District 6 runner-up Forest Hills or District 3 champ Trinity Tuesday in the semifinals.
• The Bishop Carroll girls are in the state quarterfinals for the 20th time in program history. The Huskies are seeking their 10th semifinal berth and second straight.
Bishop Carroll topped Farrell 53-44 Wednesday in Clarion. Junior Adelyn
Myers totaled a career-high 30 points. Junior Ava Pablic supplied 10 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore Emily Lucko added nine points.
Bishop Carroll defeated Williamsburg 60-47 in a 2025 PIAA quarterfinal.
Williamsburg (24-5) beat Serra Catholic 60-36 and Elk County Catholic 56-28. Levada Gorsuch and Bella Royer each totaled 14 points for the Blue Pirates.
The Bishop Carroll-Williamsburg winner will play either District 6 champ Bishop Guilfoyle or District 6 No. 3 seed St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy Tuesday in the semifinals.
• The Penn Cambria girls advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals for the first time in program history. The Panthers were in the second round during the 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2025 seasons as well as this year.
Penn Cambria trailed 24-10 at halftime, but came back to take a 30-29 lead after three frames. A 7-0 run gave the Panthers a needed spurt in Chambersburg.
Sophomore Rachel Fisher paced the Panthers with 15 points.
Oakland Catholic (23-2) beat Corry 64-26 and Slippery Rock 63-36. Sophomore Lucianna Lamendola netted 20 points, and senior Josie Fontana – a 6-foot-3 center and Richmond signee – added 19 against Slippery Rock.
The Eagles won their second straight and eighth overall District 7 title this season.
The Oakland Catholic-Penn Cambria winner meets either District 7 runner-up Blackhawk or District 7 No. 3 seed North Catholic Tuesday in the semifinals.
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