Lower Merion, Merion Mercy Begin State Basketball Playoffs

The 2012-2013 basketball playoffs of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association kick off this weekend, with two teams from Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewood Patch in action.

Merion Mercy Academy and Lower Merion High School both take to the court this Saturday in their respective tournaments.

Teams are arranged in brackets, denoted A, AA, AAA and AAAA (typically the largest schools) for both boys' and girls' teams. Each bracket consists of 32 teams and so will feature a five-round tournament.

The PIAA includes more than 1,400 schools from the 12 districts around the state. District 1 includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties; District 12 includes the Philadelphia Public League and Philadelphia Catholic League.

The following are a list of teams in Philadelphia-area Patches that are competing.

In girls' AAA:

• District 1 top seed Villa Maria Academy (19-4), of Malvern, faces District 3's West York. Game time is 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Norristown Area High School.
• District 1 No. 2-seeded Merion Mercy Academy (16-10), of Merion Station, faces Gettysburg from District 3. Game time is 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Coatesville Area Senior High.

In boys' AAA:

• District 12 No. 4-seeded Archbishop Carroll (19-6), of Wayne, faces District 3's Berks Catholic. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Friday at Garden Spot High School in New Holland, Lancaster County.

In girls' AAAA:

• District 1 No. 4-seeded Bayard Rustin (20-7), of West Chester, faces Dover Area of District 3. Game time is 6 p.m. Friday at Norristown Area High School.
• District 12 top seed Cardinal O'Hara (21-5), of Springfield, faces District 1's Methacton. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Friday at Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill.
• District 12 No. 3-seeded Archbishop Carroll (19-6) faces District 1's Upper Dublin. Game time is 6 p.m. Friday at Cheltenham High School.

In boys' AAAA:

• District 1 No. 2-seeded Lower Merion (23-3) faces Carlisle of District 3. Game time is 3 p.m. Saturday at Coatesville Area Senior High.
• District 1 No. 4-seeded Great Valley (25-3) faces District 3's Wilson. Game time is 3 p.m. Saturday at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.

The state championship games for girls' AAAA and boys' AAA are set for Friday, March 22. The title games for girls' AAA and boys' AAAA will be Saturday, March 23.

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