Pa. basketball quarterfinals: Upper Dublin, Abington, Garnet Valley, Council Rock North, Cardinal O’Hara, Neshaminy girls in action

The PIAA state basketball quarterfinals have arrived, and the District 1 girls are dominating the Class 6A bracket.

Of the eight teams remaining in the championship tournament, five -- top seed Garnet Valley, defending state champ Upper Dublin, second seed Neshaminy, third seed Abington, and seventh seed Council Rock North -- are from District 1. One team, top seed Cardinal O’Hara, is from District 12.

And all six are involved in three huge games on Friday night.

Upper Dublin and Abington headline the night with their fourth meeting of the season, at Bensalem at 7:30. Abington leads the season series, two games to one, with its latest victory, a 56-44 win, coming in the Suburban One League semifinals.

In second-rounds games on Tuesday, Jackie Vargas scored 17 points and Dayna Balasa added 11 to help Upper Dublin beat North Allegheny, 41-32. Abington beat Cumberland Valley, 52-48, as Kassondra Brown scored 13 points and had a key steal, and Cam Lexow added 12 points.

Garnet Valley, the District 1 champion, is to play Council Rock North at 7:30 at Norristown. The Jaguars defeated Bethlehem Freedom, 62-40, on Tuesday as Emily McAteer recorded 24 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Madi McKee had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Brianne Borcky had 12 points and seven assists for Garnet Valley.

Council Rock North got past Dallastown, 40-29, Tuesday as Dana Bandurick had 13 points and 12 rebounds and Sydney Blum scored 13 points.

Cardinal O’Hara and Neshaminy will play at 6 p.m. at Norristown. The Lions fended off a Spring-Ford rally and held on to win, 43-37, Tuesday as Amaris Baker scored 15 of her 19 points in the first half, knocking down three three-pointers. Neshaminy, the No. 2 seed from District 1, cruised past Hazleton, 70-40. Last season, Allison Harvey and Brooke Mullin, both career 1,000-point scorers, helped Neshaminy reach the Elite Eight.

In the girls’ Class 3A bracket Friday night, Neumann-Goretti will face Dunmore at Lehighton Elementary Center at 7. The Saints have beaten their two opponents by an average of 46 points to reach the quarterfinals. Dunmore defeated District 1′s top seed, St. Basil, 47-37, on Tuesday.

Diamond Johnson scored 21 points in Tuesday’s N-G victory over Warrior Run. Nia Jordan added 12 points.

Also in Class 3A on Friday, Imhotep Charter will face play Trinity in a 5 p.m. quarterfinal at Reading’s Geigle Complex. Imhotep knocked off Loyalsock Township, 49-39, on Tuesday. Alana Swift (16 points), Zamara Haynes (14), and Lashansa Smith (11) led the way.

On the boys’ side, Sun Valley will take on defending Class 5A champion Abington Heights at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bethlehem Freedom High. The Vanguards are coming off a 61-53 triumph over Northern on Tuesday. Vinny DeAngelo, Isaac Kennon, and Marvin Freeman are the Sun Valley players to watch. Abington Heights got past past District 12′s Mastery North, 54-52.

In other Class 5A action, Archbishop Wood will face District 11 winner Pottsville at the Geigle Complex at 8 p.m. Wood rolled past Penncrest in the second round as Rahsool Diggins and Daeshon Shepherd netted 17 points apiece.

In Class 4A, Catholic League rivals Bonner-Prendergast and Archbishop Carroll will play at Cardinal O’Hara at 7 p.m. The Friars beat Carroll, 61-44, on Jan. 18. Donovan Rodriguez, Isaiah Wong, and Tariq Ingraham are the big scorers for Bonner-Prendergast. Carroll advanced with a 74-62 victory over Lancaster Catholic as junior forward Tairi Ketner scored 22 points.

Also in Class 4A, Lower Moreland will take on Scranton Prep at Freedom High at 6 p.m. This is the second time in school history that the Lions have made the state quarterfinals.

Imhotep Charter will play District 3 champion Bishop McDevitt at the Geigle Complex at 6:30 p.m. Imhotep cruised past Danville Area, 68-37, on Tuesday.

In the Class A quarterfinals, Sankofa Freedom and Faith Christian will meet at Bensalem at 7 p.m.