Rick O'Brien: Chester leads the pack on Road to State College

The Road to State College continues Friday, with first-round action in the PIAA Class AAA and A boys' basketball playoffs. Saturday, play will tip off at the Class AAAA and AA levels.

Here is our preview, along with predictions, of the Class AAAA bracket. Friday's column will cover the Class AAA, AA, and A tourneys.

Each tournament has five rounds. The finals are scheduled for the weekend of March 25 at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center.

Enjoy the drama!

Dallastown (21-7) vs. Chester (26-1). The Wildcats are powered by long-range bomber and Vermont recruit Patrick McGlynn IV, a 6-foot-2 senior guard better known as "Four." Pick: Chester, 77-61.

West Chester Rustin (24-4) vs. Cedar Cliff (23-5). For the Colts, 6-3 junior forward Nol Aru and 6-1 senior forward Tim Kelly, who is headed to Bloomsburg for football, average 17.1 and 13.9 points, respectively. Pick: Cedar Cliff, 67-61.

William Allen (22-4) vs. Norristown (21-5). The Canaries' Branden Harrington (11.7 ppg.) and Robert Rodriguez (6.3 ppg.) have combined for 68 three-pointers. In three District 11 playoff games, 6-6 senior center Jalen Cannon (20.3 ppg.) totaled 55 points and 50 rebounds. Pick: William Allen, 60-51.

Reading (23-5) vs. La Salle (19-5). Tough opener for the Explorers. The speedy Knights, who mix in full-court pressure, have four double-digit scorers and average 72.6 points. Pick: Reading, 62-54.

Bensalem (19-8) vs. Frankford (19-5). The Pioneers' Keith Washington is averaging 19 points and has 37 threes. John Mullin's Owls count on 5-10 sophomore guard Leo Vincent. Pick: Frankford, 49-45.

Central Dauphin (20-6) vs. Plymouth Whitemarsh (22-5). PW's Jaylen Bond, a 6-7 forward bound for Pittsburgh, will square off against Central Dauphin's Devin Thomas, a 6-8, 225-pound junior averaging 21.4 points and 12.1 rebounds. Pick: PW, 65-53.

Lower Merion (18-9) vs. Scranton (23-2). Terry Turner, a 6-7 junior guard and 1,370-point scorer, and 5-10 senior guard Tim Fisch (138 career treys) lead Tony Battaglia's Knights. Pick: Scranton, 49-44.

Bartram (14-10) vs. Red Land (20-6). Key for the Maroon Wave will be slowing 6-9 junior forward Mike Zangari (18.7 ppg.), 7-foot center Steve Zack (15 ppg.), and senior point guard Nick Diller. Zack has signed with La Salle. Pick: Red Land, 61-44.

Penn Wood (20-8) vs. York (27-2). This is the weekend's best game. Like the Patriots, the Bearcats prefer to play at a breakneck speed. Kelvin Parker, a 6-4 senior, and company average 72.8 points. Pick: York, 69-66, in overtime.

Pottsville (24-2) vs. Neshaminy (21-6). For the Crimson Tide, 6-4 senior forward Nick Schlitzer averages 21.1 points. The Philadelphia University recruit, who is 137 for 174 from the free-throw line, has nailed 48 treys. Pick: Neshaminy, 63-52.

Chambersburg (19-7) vs. Council Rock North (25-2). The undersize Trojans, making their first trip to states since 2006-07, rely on junior guard Skyler Roman (14.8 ppg.) and senior guard Kayone Teal (8.9 ppg.). Pick: C.R. North, 59-47.

Roman Catholic (17-8) vs. Bethlehem Liberty (22-5). Another first-round goodie. Can the Cahillites contain rangy 6-4 senior guard Darrun Hilliard? The Villanova recruit averages 20 points and has 51 threes. Pick: Liberty, 52-48.

Penn Wood-York is a rematch of the 2008-09 final, won easily by the Patriots, 72-53. This time, it's a real toss-up. A lot depends on which Penn Wood team shows up. The victor, we think, advances to the final four.

It's tempting to pick the Patriots, but they've been way too inconsistent, especially on offense. The X factor will be 6-9, 250-pound forward Shawn Oakman's inside efforts. Aaron Brown can't carry the load on his own.

In games not involving local teams, look for Gateway, Mount Lebanon, Chartiers Valley, and Cathedral Prep to win their openers.

Our second-round picks: Chester over Cedar Cliff; Reading over William Allen; PW over Frankford; Scranton over Red Land; York over Neshaminy; C.R. North over Liberty; Gateway over Mount Lebanon; and Chartiers Valley, last year's Class AAA runner-up, over Cathedral Prep.

In the elite eight: Chester over Reading; PW over Scranton; York over C.R. North; and, in a rematch of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League championship, Gateway over Chartiers Valley.

Final four: Chester ousts defending champ PW, and Gateway, with its size advantage, eliminates York.

The Class AAAA champ? Chester, earning its first state title since 2007-08 and seventh overall, fights past Gateway, 75-69.