The top-seeded William Penn boys' basketball team (28-0) will take on No. 6 Central Dauphin East (25-3) at 1 p.m. today at Giant Center for the District 3 Class AAAA title.

Here's what the Bearcats must do to win:
1. Control the paint

Seniors Malachi Leonard (6-foot-6) and Malik Generett (6-foot-5) have provided a consistently strong presence down low for the Bearcats all season. In Wednesday's semifinal victory over Harrisburg, Leonard scored a team-high 17 points, and Generett pulled down a game-high 19 rebounds. The Panthers don't have any players on their roster taller than 6-foot-4, giving William Penn's senior duo a size advantage on which they should capitalize.
2. Find the hot hand from the outside

It really doesn't matter who it is, but the Bearcats need to have somebody who is knocking down open looks from the perimeter should the CD East defense devote their efforts to clogging the paint. Luckily for William Penn, the Bearcats have multiple players who can step into this role. Chemin Lambert hit a couple big shots in the second half of the quarterfinal victory over Reading. Kelvin Parker came through from beyond the arc against Harrisburg. At other times this season it has been Ryan Matthews or Jevaughn Murphy draining those 3-pointers. Whoever is feeling it today should be getting the ball whenever he's open.
3. Make smart decisions in transition

CD East likes to press, and the

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Panthers have the speed and athleticism to do it well. William Penn faced some of the toughest pressure it has seen all season against Harrisburg and was able to handle it by taking charge and using their own athleticism to their advantage. Coach Troy Sowers said his team was tentative in the first half against the Cougars, and once they started attacking in transition, they were able to get good looks at the basket. That same formula should work against the Panthers as well.
4. Step up the perimeter defense

Guard play is where CD East really shines. Led in the backcourt by Desmond Bates and Jon Breeden, the Panthers boast guards who have both the shooting skills to knock down big shots and the quickness to get to the basket. If the Bearcats are going to limit CD East's offensive effectiveness, it starts with strong defense on the perimeter. Kelvin Parker, who stands 6-foot-4, is William Penn's top defender and has guarded players bigger and smaller than him. He, Lambert, Matthews and Murphy will need to utilize their defensive skills to stay in front of the Panthers and contest outside shots.
5. Stay poised in the fourth quarter

Leonard calls the Bearcats a "fourth-quarter team" and he has plenty of evidence to back up his claim -- most recently William Penn's comeback from 17 points down with less than four minutes remaining against Reading in the district quarterfinals. The Bearcats will need to show the same poise and confidence late in the game that has been a critical element in their undefeated run to the YAIAA Division I title, the league tournament crown, and now a berth in the district title game. William Penn's on-court maturity has been on display all season, and the Bearcats will need to continue to show it if they want to keep this win streak going.