Freshman Micah Mason scored a game-high 23 points to help Highlands, ranked No. 2 in WPIAL Class AAA in the Post-Gazette's preseason rankings, to a 77-60 upset of host Penn Hills, ranked No. 4 in Class AAAA, last night in the opening round of the Dave Smith Classic.

Mason, who connected on five 3-pointers, scored seven points ion the game's decisive third quarter, when Highlands outscored Penn Hills 24-14 to turn a 10-point halftime lead into a 61-41 advantage.

Jeff Sinclair and Damon Porter each scored 14 points for Highlands.

Mike Trenski added 13 points for Highlands, which finished with 10 3-pointers.

Payton Adams and Ricco Parris each scored 14 points to lead Penn Hills. Andre Anthony added 12.

• Lucas Mickens had 21 points as Central Catholic, the top-ranked team in Class AAAA, beat Latrobe, 77-67, in the Dave Smith Classic.

• North Allegheny, ranked No. 2 in Class AAAA, beat Hazleton, 57-47, in the opening round of the State College Tournament. Nick Dvorsky scored 18 points for North Allegheny, which outscored Hazleton, 18-6, in the third quarter to overcome a 21-20 halftime deficit.

• Host Hempfield upset McKeesport, ranked No. 3 in Class AAAA, 67-59, in the round-robin Hempfield Tournament behind 28 points from Nate Perry.

• Chartiers Valley, ranked No. 1 in Class AAA, beat Seton-La Salle, 82-59, behind T.J. McConnell's 18 points in the first round of the Upper Saint Clair Tournament.

• Chaston Harris had a team-high 13 points as Beaver Falls, ranked No. 1 in Class AA, rallied to beat Center, 68-49, in the first round of the Midland Tournament. Damon Cotton had 18 points for Center, which led 14-7 after the first quarter.

• Branden Austin scored eight of his 17 points in the fourth quarter to lead Sto-Rox to a 63-60 upset of Sewickley Academy, ranked No. 1 in Class A, in the first round of the Dynamo Tournament. Tom Droney had 29 points, seven assists and seven rebounds to lead Sewickley Academy.

• Tyler Hans had 37 points, including nine 3-pointers, and teammate Corey Bellovich added 30 points and 16 rebounds to lead host Keystone Oaks over Langley, 88-79, in the first round of the Keystone Oaks Tournament.

• Nick Novak scored 32 points, including 21 in the first half, and was 8 for 8 from the free-throw line to lead Franklin Regional to an 84-59 victory over Penn-Trafford in the round-robin Hempfield Tournament.

• John Leonard had 31 points to help Connellsville edge Uniontown, 51-50, in the round robin Fayette Country Tournament.

• Joey Harrison had a game-high 30 points and Tom Bigley added 25, including 19 in the second half, to help South Park beat Vincentian, 91-70, in the Brentwood Tournament.

• James Barton scored 27 points to lead Bethel Park to an 80-70 win over Woodland Hills in the first round of the Keystone Oaks Tournament.

• Andrew Cressler scored 17 of his game-high 26 points in the first half to help Plum beat Burgettstown, 78-60, in the West Allegheny Tournament.

Hot shots

• The following players had four or more 3-pointers: Hans, Keystone Oaks (9); John Lord, Quigley (6); Dan Rohm, Seneca Valley (6); Adam Flood, Plum (5); Zach Hayward, Blackhawk (5); Mason, Highlands (5); Perry, Hempfield (5); Austin, Sto-Rox (4); Ben Carson, California (4); Anthony DeAngelo, Plum (4); Will Glendenning, Canon-McMillan (4); Eric Holmes, Pine-Richland (4); Bill Luther, Hampton (4); Brett McCormick, Upper St. Clair (4); Taylor Nowicki, Geibel (4); Mike Poydence, Apollo Ridge (4); Christian Shea, Upper St. Clair (4); Robert Zewe, Baldwin (4).