Caleb Ei and the Dragons battle Fort LeBoeuf in the first round of the District 10 playoffs.

The Warren Dragons are coming into the District 10 Class 5A playoffs playing perhaps their best basketball of the season.

They have won three games in a row (all by double digits) and, at 11-9, face a Fort LeBoeuf (4-17) team whom they have beat twice this season, including a 63-42 home win just a week ago.

It’s a Warren team that is led by its talented senior class – Caleb Ei, Griffin Suppa, Aidan Morrison, Devin McMeans, Jake Kupchella and Jake Funari.

They are looking for their first playoff win as a group, something they seemed poised to do.

The seniors, while viewed as a bit undersized, are an extremely athletic group, and combined to account for just over 86 percent of the teams scoring, with Ei (13.4) and Kupchella (11.3) leading the way.

McMeans has caught fire late in the season, including six 3’s in the first quarter of Wednesday’s win over Corry.

Ei (5.4), Kupchella (4.7) and Morrison (4.4) are the teams top rebounders, but it’s really been a collective effort on the boards this season.

Suppa, the floor general, leads the team in assists (4.4).

Off the bench, Mitch Grosch, Ben Berdine and Tom Bablak have all given the Dragons quality minutes this season. Berdine, a sophomore, has really come on in the second half of the season, including a 14-point effort in a win against Harbor Creek in late January.

They will be facing a Fort LeBoeuf team that is led by Dylan Proctor (11.7 ppg.), Joe Riley (9.8) and Brandon Drayer (8.6).

Riley, a 6-1 junior guard, has scored in double figures in both meetings against the Dragons this season, including 18 in the most recent contest a week ago.

The winner of tonight’s game will meet Grove City (14-8) in the quarterfinals on Thursday at a site and time to be determined.

Other Class 5A first-round matchups:

Oil City (11-9) at George Junior Republic (4-16)

Winner gets: Titusville in quarterfinals

Top players: Oil City – Luke Homer, 6-1 Sr. (10.9 ppg.), DeMarco Francis, 6-3 Sr. (10.2), Holden Stahl, 6-0 Soph. (9.2), Hunter Haun, 5-7 Sr. (7.5), Cameron Muir, 6-3 Sr. (7.9); GJR – Tyriqe Williams, 5-10 Jr. (22.5), Preston Currie, 6-2 Sr. (16.2), Bryan Peachlum, 6.2 Soph. (6.8), Rakeem Elliott, 5-9 Soph. (7.1)

The pick: Oil City

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Slippery Rock (2-19) at Corry (12-10)

Winner gets: Hickory in quarterfinals

Top players: Slippery Rock – Logan Croll, 6-2 Sr. (10.7 ppg.), Judah Roth, 6-0 Jr. (8.38), Mitchell Houston, 6-1 Sr. (7.7), Ethan Plesakov, 6-2 Jr. (6.4), Zack Thompson, 5-11 Jr. (5.4); Corry – Brandon Elchynski, 6-1 Sr. (15.1), Micah Knapp, 6-3 Jr. (10.9), Reagan James, 5-10 Jr. (7.7), Nathan Gentilman, 6-4 Sr. (6.0), Taylor Willis, 6-3 Jr. (4.7)

The pick: Corry

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General McLane will play Harbor Creek in the quarterfinals, with McLane receiving a bye and Harbor Creek advancing via opt-out.