It is Highlands High School's version of "That '80s Show."

The Highlands boys' basketball team can put on an impressive offensive show, averaging 83.6 points a game, by far the most in the WPIAL. The Rams play at a frantic pace and have no conscience when it comes to 3-pointers. They have scored 80 or more points in eight of 12 games.

It is a style that is fun to watch, and one that has been successful as the Rams are 8-4 and the Post-Gazette's No. 3-ranked WPIAL Class AAA team.

Highlands coach Rich Falter uses the style partly out of necessity -- his tallest starter is 6 feet 2 -- but also because he believes it works.

"Truthfully, we've used this style on an off ever since Rick Pitino took that one Providence team to the Final Four with nothing but drive, draw [defenders] and dish," Falter said. "I'm a Pitino freak, so we've gone with it, but probably not to this extent.

"But you can live and die with this stuff and that's what our parents don't understand. When you're missing 20 3-pointers in a row, you can look putrid."

Highlands also presses full court, but Falter doesn't substitute much. He has four players averaging at least 16 points a game. Senior guard Reece Mabery averages 22.0, junior guard Damon Porter 17.8, junior guard-forward Jeff Sinclair 16.9 and senior guard Larry Alexander 16.6.

"You should see us run our four-corner delay [offense]," Falter said. "We make one pass and shoot it."

Schenley senior Deandre Kane is the top scorer in southwestern Pennsylvania this season, averaging an impressive 31.4 points a game. A 6-foot-3 guard, Kane is attracting attention from more Division I colleges.

Kane said last summer he would attend Duquesne University, but it seems the two have parted ways. Kane said he hasn't talked to Duquesne in two months and is now looking at other schools. Pitt coach Jamie Dixon has watched Kane play and Pitt assistant Orlando Antigua has talked with Kane.

"I talk with coach [Antigua] a lot," Kane said. "He said Pitt might offer me a scholarship."

Kane also has spoken with coaches from Wisconsin and Georgia Tech. Kane still must score high enough on the SAT to be eligible as a freshman.

Kane was one of only two returning starters from last year's Schenley team that won a PIAA championship. The other is senior guard-forward Greg Blair, who has averaged 19 points the past 10 games.

"I knew I had to score a lot and lead the team this year because we have a whole bunch of young guys," Kane said.

T.J. McConnell is only a sophomore at Chartiers Valley but already has developed into one of the best shooters in the WPIAL. McConnell, son of Chartiers Valley coach Tim McConnell, has 49 3-pointers in 11 games. He is averaging 21.5 points.

There will be two 1 vs. 2 matchups in the WPIAL basketball over the next four days.

Central Catholic, the Post-Gazette's No. 1-ranked Class AAAA boys' team, plays host to No. 2 McKeesport tonight. If you're thinking of going, get there early. Central Catholic's Alumni Hall isn't all that big and the place has been sold out for big games in the past.

On Monday, the top two AAAA girls' teams meet when No. 1 Mt. Lebanon plays host to No. 2 Upper St. Clair.

Sto-Rox girls' coach Carrie Palermo is pretty sure she didn't walk under a ladder recently or had a black cat cross her path. But she can't seem to get away from bad luck.

Since the summer, Palermo has lost three players, including two starters, with torn anterior cruciate ligaments in their knees. Jackie Movitch, a 6-foot junior, was hurt in practice shortly before the start of the season. Senior forward Nicole Thornhill was hurt in the third game. Reserve India Brinson was injured in the summer.

"I've never had a player with a season-ending injury before this year," said Palermo, in her 14th season. "We finally get a good team and this is what happens. We've had to change everything we do. We've went from a fast-paced, up-tempo team to a half-court team."

Despite the injuries, Sto-Rox is more than competitive, bolting to an 8-3 record in WPIAL Class AA.

Tyreke Evans, ranked the No. 1 senior in the state this season, has bodyguards at games because of possible gang retaliation.

Evans, a 6-foot-6 guard at American Christian School near Philadelphia, was at the scene of a homicide Nov. 25 that involved his cousin, Jamar Evans, who turned himself into police two weeks ago.

According to a Philadelphia Inquirer story, police say the murder was gang-related and Evans' family is worried about retaliation. Thus, official and unofficial bodyguards have accompanied Evans to recent games. They sit on the end of the bench and in the crowd.

Evans is ranked by scouting services as one of the top 10 seniors in the country and has narrowed his list of schools to Louisville, Memphis, Texas, Connecticut and Villanova.

It looks like Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt will get another one of Western Pennsylvania's top players tomorrow when Gateway linebacker Shayne Hale is expected to announce his decision to play for the Panthers next season.

Hale is playing in the Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio tomorrow. The game will be televised at 1 p.m. on WPXI, and Hale will announce his college choice at some point during the game. Ohio State is the other finalist.

Although Hale is saying publicly he hasn't made a choice, some players, coaches and others associated with the game say he will choose Pitt. Hale is ranked by some scouting services as one of the top linebackers in the country.

He is one of four WPIAL players on the East team in the game. The others are Jeannette quarterback Terrelle Pryor, Thomas Jefferson offensive lineman Lucas Nix and Aliquippa receiver Jonathan Baldwin. Nix and Baldwin also are Pitt recruits. Gateway's Terry Smith is an East assistant coach.