THEY HAD A BALL THE GIFTED ONES
The five players that make up this year’s all-star team: From left: Eli Yofan (Fox Chapel), Devin Carney (Butler), Dante Spadafora The five players that make up this year’s all-star team: From left: Aislin Malcolm (Chartiers Valley), Perri Page (Chartiers Valley), (Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart), Rodney Gallagher (Laurel Highlands) and Player of the Year Brayden Reynolds (Chartiers Valley). Player of the Year Lizzy Groetsch (North Allegheny), Paige Julian (Mohawk) and Liv Westphal (Bethel Park). Brayden Reynolds
Chartiers Valley • Player of the Year
6-2 • Guard • Senior
The scoop: Averaged 24.9 points in leading Colts to WPIAL Class 5A title game. Shot 51% and made 58 3-pointers. Also averaged 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals. Scored 42 points at New Castle. Finished career with 1,523 career points. Third Chartiers Valley player to be POY in past 12 seasons, joining T.J. McConnell and Matty McConnell.
College: Undecided. West Point (Army) has accepted him and is recruiting him. Few other Division I schools showing interest.
Most memorable moment this season: It’s definitely the New Castle game. Favorite player of all time: Kobe Bryant. Favorite person to follow on Twitter: I’ll go with Overtime (@overtime).
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My grandfathers, Neil Kochocky and Robert Reynolds. Neil was a Hall of Fame soccer player at Akron and I want to attain those goals in basketball. Robert passed away when I was 10 but he showed me how to cherish everything you have when you have it.
Funniest moment from this season: There are a lot. I’d say the bus ride home from Lincoln Park. What happened on the bus was pretty funny. I just can’t say what happened.
TV show or series you’d recommend: “All American.”
Eli Yofan
Fox Chapel
6-2 • Guard • Junior
The scoop: Versatile player averaged 22.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.7 steals, 1.3 blocks a game. Shot 54% and 47% (36 of 77) from 3-point range. Scored 1,000th career point in WPIAL quarterfinals.
College: Some Division I colleges are expressing interest.
Most memorable moment this season: The North Allegheny (WPIAL) quarterfinal game. It was just the whole experience. I scored my 1,000th point, we won, and it was my best friend’s (J.P. Dockey) birthday.
Favorite player of all time: Kobe Bryant. Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport)
Toughest opponent: When I was a freshman, Oscar Tshiebwe (of Kennedy Catholic who is now at Kentucky).
Did he dunk on you? No, but he jumped over me and got a rebound and I just got out of the way. It wasn’t even fair.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My grandfather, Dave Musser. Just because he worked so hard his whole life and he’s one of my biggest supporters.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: Financial advisor.
Dante Spadafora
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
5-11 • Guard • Senior
The scoop: Point guard helped OLSH go 24-0 with WPIAL and PIAA Class 2A titles. Averaged 18.7 points, 7 assists, 4.7 steals. A four-year starter who had 1,792 points and averaged 8.7 assists for his career.
College: Spadafora has signed with West Liberty, a top NCAA Division II program.
Most memorable moment this season: I’ll always remember that hug with me and coach Rod (Mike Rodriguez) when I got taken out of the state championship game with about 25 seconds left. No one can understand the feeling I had in my heart.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: (Post-Gazette sports writer) Mike White (@ mwhiteburgh). He goes to a lot of games and he’s honest about kids and everything. So many people want to sugar coat things.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: I have two. People don’t understand the great relationship I have with Beaver coach Greg Cercone, who also trains me. And also Justice Cuthbertson. He trains me at 424 Athlete Factory.
You can’t be athlete-coach in the future, you’d be: Sports psychologist. I’d like to help kids more than just the physical side.
TV show you’d recommend: “Last Chance U: Basketball.”
Devin Carney
Butler
6-0 • Guard • Junior
The scoop: Used sweet jump shot to average 29.6 ppg. One five-game stretch included outings where he had 41, 41 and 49 points. Shot 50% from field, 84% from freethrow line and made 65 3-pointers. Has 1,501 career points and 206 3-pointers.
College: Saint Francis (Pa.) and Bryant have offered scholarships.
Most memorable moment this season: Making the game-winning shot against Penn-Trafford (in WPIAL quarterfinals). Just after I hit it, my teammates started jumping on me and we went into a pile. It was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in basketball.
Favorite player of all time: Kobe Bryant, but right now I’m trying to model my game after Trae Young.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter:
Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real)
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: I’d probably have to say (Butler coach) Matt Clement and I’d say Joe Lewandowski, too. He’s trained me since I’ve been really young.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: I would say an actor.
TV show or series you would recommend: I just finished “Last Chance U: Basketball.”
Rodney Gallagher
Laurel Highlands
6-0 • Guard • Sophomore
The scoop: Last year, Gallagher was the first freshman to make the Fab 5. Is ranked among top 60 sophomores in the country in basketball and football. Averaged 19.4 points, 5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.1 steals. Has 920 career points. This came after a freshman year when he won a WPIAL title.
College: Already has major-college scholarship offers in football and basketball.
Most memorable moment this season: Hitting the game winner against Thomas Jefferson.
Favorite player of all time: LeBron
James.
Toughest opponent: Brayden Reynolds
(of Chartiers Valley).
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: Kobe Bryant. Just because he was a person that wanted to work so hard and be the best, and had no friends on the court. But outside of basketball, he was a great person.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: A sports agent.
Funniest moment from this season: Us always having a good time with one of our assistant coaches, Dierre Jenkins.
TV show or series you would recommend: “Shameless.”
Lizzy Groetsch
North Allegheny • Player of the Year
5-11 • Guard • Senior
The scoop: Two-time Player of the Year led team to its first state title and third WPIAL crown in her four seasons as a starter. Averaged 16.4 points, 7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.2 steals this season. Scored 1,504 career points.
College talk: Signed with Penn.
Most memorable moment this season: Celebrating on the court with my teammates after winning the state championship.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: The
NA Tigers account (@NATigerAthletic).
Toughest opponent: Courtney Dahlquist and the girls from Trinity.
People might be surprised to know: I actually got my two front teeth knocked out in an AAU tournament. And then I got those knocked out three times this season.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: Coach (Spencer) Stefko. Through the highs and lows, he always had my back.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: I’d like to get into medicine and be a doctor with my own practice.
Funniest moment from this season: When I got my tooth knocked out in our first state playoff game. I put it in my sock. The referee looked at me like I was crazy.
Liv Westphal
5-9 • Bethel Guard Park • Senior The in the scoop: WPIAL. Averaged Scored 24.7 school-record points, second 45 against Mars. Also averaged 2.2 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.3 blocks this season. Made 54 3-pointers. Had 1,631 career points. Ranked top 100 player nationally.
College talk: Signed with Duquesne. Most memorable moment this season: Our first playoff game against Shaler. It was the last home game for the seniors. Favorite player of all time: Sue Bird. Favorite person to follow on Twitter: My best friend’s dad, Kevin Carbone.
Toughest opponent: Ashleigh Connor of Mt. Lebanon.
People might be surprised to know: I love to bake.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: Robert Cash. He’s been my AAU coach for a long time.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: I want to be a lawyer.
Funniest moment from this season: On our way to McKeesport our bus was trying to go through a tunnel. It was way too tall. Since it couldn’t fit through, we had to back out of it and it caused this big commotion.
TV show or series you would recommend: “Friday Night Lights.”
Paige Julian
Mohawk
5-8 • Guard • Senior
The scoop: Leading scorer and rebounder for a team that won its second straight WPIAL Class 3A title and reached the PIAA final. Averaged 20.2 points, 7.1 rebounds. Shot 63% on 2-point attempts. Finished career with 1,156 points.
College talk: Signed with West Liberty. Most memorable moment this season: Definitely just outlasting COVID. And with that being said, having more people come to our games in WPIAL’s and states.
Favorite player of all time: Sabrina Ionescu.
Toughest opponent: Just the whole North
Catholic team.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: Definitely Coach (Mike) O’Lare and (former assistant coach and neighbor) Kevin Wrona.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: A nurse.
Funniest moment from this season: Our first game back my sister (Kiera) is in ninth grade and got put in at the end. Time was running out and she had the ball at the top of the key, and a girl basically tackled her. She laid there like she was a dead body.
TV show or series you would recommend: “Friends.”
Aislin Malcolm
Chartiers Valley
5-11 • Guard • Junior
The scoop: Two-time Fab 5 pick helped Chartiers Valley to a third consecutive WPIAL Class 5A title. Averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds. Made 65 3-pointers and has 197 in her career. Has 1,270 career points.
College talk: Made verbal commitment to Pitt in December.
Most memorable moment this season: Winning WPIAL’s.
Favorite player of all time: Kobe Bryant or Kevin Durant.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Pitt women’s basketball page (@Pitt_WBB). Toughest opponent: Lizzy (Groetsch). Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My pap.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: An engineer.
Funniest moment from this season: My mom told Coach (Tim) McConnell that I don’t like fish fries. The day we were leaving for states he called me out in the hallway. (Assistant) coach (Shawn) Sherry told everyone in the locker room that they were going to prank me. Coach McConnell told us he had a friend in Hershey that has a fish fry that we were going to go support. Everyone got excited, and I was just sitting there because I didn’t want to go.”
Perri Page
Chartiers Valley
6-0 • Guard-Forward • Junior The scoop: Versatile player averaged 15 points, a team-high 11.3 rebounds, and 3 steals a game. Scored 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in the WPIAL championship. Has 819 career points. Her dad, Julius, was a star player at Pitt.
College talk: Verbally committed to Columbia in December.
Most memorable moment this season: WPIAL championship game against Trinity. Favorite player of all time: Allen Iverson. Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Overtime (@overtime).
Toughest opponent: (Cardinal O’Hara’s)
Sydni Scott.
People might be surprised to know: I’m left-handed.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My uncle, Ka’ron Barnes. He’s not my actual uncle, but he’s like a brother to my dad.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: Businesswoman.
Funniest moment from this season: Me and our point guard Marian (Turnbull) went to Hobby Lobby and bought this really big rose. Everybody loved the rose except Aislin (Malcolm). We had it in the locker room and she would get so mad.