Them again.

That seems to be a popular storyline for some of the WPIAL basketball teams still left in the PIAA playoffs. Although the state playoffs are supposed to be a time to test your team's strength against teams outside the district, some of the quarterfinal matchups pit WPIAL foes that might be downright sick of each other.

"I'm sure we're tired of playing them," Baldwin girls' coach Dan Thayer said with a laugh.

"Them" is Mt. Lebanon. Baldwin and Mt. Lebanon play in a Class AAAA quarterfinal tonight at Chartiers Valley. This is the eighth time in two seasons that Baldwin and Mt. Lebanon will meet. They have played four times in the regular season, twice in the WPIAL playoffs and once in the PIAA tournament. Mt. Lebanon has won the previous seven games.

"But it was our goal to play them again after we lost to them in the [WPIAL] championship game," Thayer said. "We figured if we played them again, that would mean we made it to the quarterfinals."

Baldwin isn't alone in the "here we go again" theme. The Neshannock boys have lost twice this season to Lincoln Park, and the two meet again in a Class A quarterfinal tonight in the second game of the doubleheader at Chartiers Valley.

In Class AAA boys, Hampton plays West Mifflin in a rematch of a WPIAL semifinal game won by Hampton.

In Class AA boys, South Fayette and North Catholic meet for the fourth time this season. Twice they played overtime and North Catholic won easily the third time.

In Class AAAA boys, North Allegheny and Gateway play for the third time after splitting the first two.

In Class A girls, Vincentian and Quigley meet for the third time, and Chartiers Valley and Hopewell play for a second time in AAA girls.

In the case of Baldwin vs. Mt. Lebanon, Thayer believes his most important task will be coaching his players' minds. Mt. Lebanon hasn't lost to a WPIAL team since 2008 and the Blue Devils are ranked among the top 10 teams in the country in two national polls. Baldwin has gotten closer to Mt. Lebanon in every meeting this season, losing by 60-26, 59-37 and then 59-43 in the WPIAL final.

"I think the biggest thing, more than anything else, is to convince the kids that we can do this," Thayer said.

"I think the last game [WPIAL championship] helped with that because the kids' reaction after the game was, 'Man, if we would've just shot the ball better, we maybe could've beaten them.'

"We missed our first 10 shots, and I think four were layups. We need to come out and play better in the beginning."

One of Neshannock's main objectives against Lincoln Park will be to do a better job defending Lincoln Park star guard-forward Chaquille Pratt, who averages 27 points.

"We've run just about every defense possible to try and contain Mr. Pratt," said Neshannock coach John Corey. "There's no stopping him totally, but we have to try and contain him. We've probably run six different defenses against him. We're going to have to find one that will slow him down a little and keep him off the glass, which is also very important."

What will be important for North Allegheny against Gateway is finishing shots in the lane. Gateway had 19 blocked shots when it beat North Allegheny in the WPIAL semifinals.

"But we're not going to change what we do, no matter who we play," DeGregorio said. "We'll still press full court, run and jump and attack the basket. We might get 19 shots blocked but we'll see."

DeGregorio is calling his team special.

"From a team standpoint and playing together, and chemistry, this is the best group I've ever had," he said.

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