For the first time in school history, the North Hills boys’ basketball team will play for the WPIAL title. On Wednesday night, Coach Buzz Gabos’ team blew-out the #3 seed Penn Hills by a score of 77-52. North Hills will play Pine Richland on Saturday night at the Peterson Event Center. Both schools will be looking for their first ever WPIAL basketball title.

Guided by Ish Waldron’s 8 point, 7 rebound first quarter, North Hills led 17-8 after one. In the second quarter, junior point guard Nick Smith caught fire, Smith tallied 19 points in the second alone. Smith nailed a 3 as time wined down in the first half, and North Hills closed out the half leading 47-22. North Hills’ two-headed monster of Waldron and Smith could not be slowed down in the second half, and North Hills held a commanding lead until the final buzzer. Smith finished with 23 points and Waldron finished with 27. Junior forward Andrew Paulauskas added 11 points for North Hills.

Nick Smith also scored his 1,000^th career point in the game, adding to an already special night. The WPIAL Championship game will be held at 9:00 P.M. on Saturday Night at the Peterson Event Center.