Postseason play easier?
Hardly.
Yet while things undoubtedly will get significantly more difficult for Doug Biega's high-octane Beaver Falls Tigers -- at some point, that figures to be the case -- they certainly haven't encountered much resistance lately.
Not in the WPIAL playoffs, as Beaver Falls easily claimed that title.
And Saturday in the first round of the PIAA Class AA tournament, Biega's Tigers waffled yet another foe while moving into Wednesday night's round of 16. For those counting, that's five straight wins by 28-plus points.
That's not too shabby, folks.
There's also no overwhelming reason to interrupt Beaver Falls' lengthy stay atop the Class AA portion of the PennLive.com/Patriot-News boys' basketball rankings. So, Biega's Tigers will remain parked at No. 1.
Other changes were necessary, but not at the top.
Records are current through March 10.
1. Beaver Falls (24-3) -- last week: 1 -- Thrusting five players into double figures and exploding to a 51-25 halftime lead, Doug Biega's Tigers coasted to a 92-48 victory over Bald Eagle Area in their state opener. Drew Cook netted 20 points and Elijah Cottrill checked in with 18 for Beaver Falls, while Zach Miller (16), Micoy Mason (15) and Dan Stratton (12). Biega's explosive Tigers were so far ahead, they might have been able to slip illustrious alum Joe Namath on the flooor for a late minute or two. Now carrying a 14-game winning streak, Beaver Falls will meet Mercyhurst Prep Wednesday night in Sharon.
2. West Middlesex (23-3) -- last week: 2 -- Embroiled in a second straight overtime encounter, Chad Mild's Big Reds needed a tie-breaking trey from Jerrod Palmer and late free throws from usual suspects Matt Dogan and Trey Staunch to escape Jeannette 55-50 at Slippery Rock. Staunch finished with 24 points and eight boards for Middlesex, while Dogan pumped in 16 and snared eight caroms. Palmer, by the way, finished with just three points -- but they were biggies. Ticketed for Clarion's Tippin Gym Wednesday night, Mild's Reds will meet up with a dangerous Bishop McCort entry.
3. Greensburg Central Catholic (23-2) -- last week: 3 -- Perhaps a tad rusty following a 14-day respite, Dr. Greg Bisignani's Centurions still managed to side-step District 6-AA champ Penn Cambria 66-56 in Saturday's opening round. Zach Herman and Brian Graytok each bagged 21 points for GCC, which was bumped in the WPIAL quarterfinals and forced to sweat out its state playoff hopes. Well, the Centurions made it in and they made it through Round 1. Next up is No. 8 Lakeview in the back end of a Class AA round-of-16 twinbill Wednesday night at Sharon.
4. Holy Cross (24-5) -- last week: 4 -- Trailing then-No. 9 Lewisburg with four minutes left in the third quarter of Saturday's opening-round scrap, Al Callejas' resourceful Crusaders turned up the defense and held the Green Dragons scoreless for nine minutes. That was more than enough time to allow Callejas' club to step back in front and record a 60-55 victory. Josh Kosin churned out a double-double (19 points, 17 rebounds) for Holy Cross, which was a perfect 11-for-11 from the stripe in the final quarter. Connor Jones (13), Connor Callejas (10) and Corey Joyce (10) also reached double figures for the Crusaders, who will meet Del-Val Charter Wednesday night in Bethlehem.
5. Communications Tech (20-7) -- last week: 6 -- Getting a combined 42 points from Terrence Brown and David Johnson -- Brown's 22-point burst led the 12-AA champs -- Lou Biester's Phoenix flamed Camp Hill 68-43 Saturday night at South Philly High School. That victory moved Communications Tech into Wednesday night's round of 16 and earned Biester's outfit a trip to suburban Harrisburg's Cumberland Valley High School for a scrap with No. 6 Loyalsock. The Phoenix handed 'Sock a 48-44 setback in early February at Williamsport's Magic Dome.
6. Loyalsock (25-3) -- last week: 7 -- Popping three players into double figures -- Omar Little, Ben Sosa and Kyle Datres combined for 46 points -- Ron Insinger's Lancers trimmed then-No. 8 Mid Valley 63-54 Saturday afternoon at Williamsport's Magic Dome. Roger Wilson added 14 rebounds for 'Sock, which handed Insinger his 800th career win on the boys' side. Should Insinger's charges survive Wednesday's tussle with Communications Tech at Cumberland Valley's Dome, he'll pull into a tie with former North Catholic skipper Don Graham (801) for the state's all-time lead.
7. Constitution (17-9) -- last week: Not ranked -- Two weeks without a ballgame didn't seem to bother Rob Moore's Generals, who marched past Notre Dame-Green Pond 66-28 Saturday in the Lehigh Valley. Kimar Williams dropped in a team-high 19 points for ConHigh, which made the step up to Class AA after winning Class A a year ago in State College. Ahmad Gilbert tacked on a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) and Floyd Prieto added 11 points for Moore's Generals, who led 47-16 after three quarters. Up next for the Philly Public League side is a scrap with 3-AA champ Delone Catholic in the back end of a twinbill Wednesday night at Governor Mifflin.
8. Lakeview (22-4) -- last week: 10 -- Needing a second-half rally -- Lakeview trailed by as many as seven points in the third quarter -- Gary Burke's Sailors tripped Quaker Valley 44-40 in Saturday's opening round. Dalton Boggs banked 16 points and Coty Gander added 10 -- Gander was 4-for-4 at the line in the fourth quarter, burying two with 15 seconds left -- to propel Lakeview into Wednesday night's round of 16. Up next for the Sailors will be another dangerous WPIAL entry, as No. 3 Greensburg Central Catholic will be parked on the opposite bench at Sharon High School.
9. Trinity (19-7) -- last week: Not ranked -- Rebounding from a buzzer-beating loss to Delone Catholic in the District 3-AA title game, Larry Kostelac Jr.'s outfit sidelined then-No. 5 Meyers 57-47 in Saturday's opening round at Wilkes-Barre's King's College. Dom Antonelli scored 15 of his 22 points in the first half -- Antonelli's paternal grandparents live in nearby Nanticoke -- while Brandon Kuntz popped a double-double (11 points, 10 boards) and Dylan DeFrank hopped off the bench to toss in 11 as the Shamrocks handed Kostelac career victory No. 599. No. 600 could come on Wednesday night in suburban Reading, where Trinity will meet Philly's William Sayre.
10. Lewisburg (23-5) -- last week: 9 -- One has to feel for John Vaji's hustling Green Dragons, who've lost only to state-ranked teams. Four setbacks were delivered by Loyalsock, while the fifth arrived Saturday as the 'Burg tumbled 60-55 to No. 4 Holy Cross. Travis Conrad poured in 18 of his 29 points from beyond the arc for the Dragons, who led 39-35 midway through the third quarter yet conceded the lead during a scoring drought that lasted nine minutes. Vaji's club also picked up 11 points from Jesse Flannery.
OUR HONORABLE MENTIONS
District 3-AA champion Delone Catholic (18-9) rocked Wellsboro 63-47 in its state opener, delivering longtime skipper Jim Dooley his 702nd Pennsylvania success. ... Mercyhurst Prep (18-8) landed a scrap with No. 1 Beaver Falls after eliminating Brockway 56-46. ... District 6-AA entries Northern Cambria (22-5) and Bishop McCort (19-8) advanced after ousting WPIAL reps Apollo-Ridge (58-53) and Burrell (62-43). ... Northern Cambria will meet Conemaugh Twp. (24-3) in Wednesday's round of 16 in suburban Johnstown. Conemaugh Twp. won twice last week, sidelining Pittsburgh City League champ Westinghouse 55-44 in a Thursday prelim and Brentwood 53-49 in Saturday's opening round. ... Penn Cambria (20-5), Jeannette (18-6), Quaker Valley (20-6), previous No. 5 Meyers (23-5) and previous No. 8 Mid Valley (23-6) remain in the HM mix. Meyers can't help but think about what might have been had junior forward Tyriek Steward not suffered a season-ending foot injury.
MICHAEL BULLOCK: mbullock@pennlive.com
BULLOCK ON TWITTER: @thebullp_n