Boys athlete of the week
The Post-Gazette’s top male performer for the past seven days
Last week: Teslovich scored 30 points Feb. 6 in a 73-56 win against Derry and 28 points in a 56-54 upset of defending WPIAL champion Deer Lakes on Friday. On Saturday, he scored 24 in a 74-71 overtime loss to South Allegheny.
Check this out: Teslovich is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound senior guard who has started for the Bulldogs since his freshman year and helped them win a WPIAL title two years ago as a sophomore. He is averaging 21 points this season and eclipsed the 1,500--point mark for his career in the win against Derry. Shady Side Academy is seeded No. 3 in this year’s WPIAL Class 3A tournament and will play host to Beaver Falls in the first round on Monday.
When did you start playing basketball, and who introduced you to the sport? I started playing when I was 5 or 6. My mom coached a rec league team at the time.
How tough was it to start as a freshman? It was very difficult. I had just transferred from Belle Vernon and didn’t know anybody. Fortunately, it worked out well.
Do you play AAU basketball and for which team? I’ve played on various AAU teams since I was in third grade. That’s where my game developed from a young age.
Is this year’s team good enough to win the WPIAL title? I think so. We have all the pieces required to make a long run in the playoffs. It’s going to take a continued team effort of working together.
How important was last week’s upset of Deer Lakes? It showed people that we are for real. We had some injuries earlier in the season. We are healthy for the playoffs.
Are you planning to continue your athletic career in college? Yes, but I haven’t made a choice yet. The recruiting process has been slow for me. A good run in the playoffs should help.
Do you play any other sports? I ran track my freshman and sophomore years. Last year, I had an ankle injury that kept me from running track. I mostly run the 400 [meters]. If you could attend any sporting event, what would it
be? Duke vs. [North Carolina] basketball at Duke. I went to see Duke play Pitt in Durham when I was in seventh grade. It would be great to see them play UNC. I would also like to see the NCAA Final Four. Is there an athlete you look up to as a role model? [Cincinnati Bengals quarterback] Joe Burrow has a really strong mentality. I like how he approaches a football game. I’ve liked him since he was in college. What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I started my own marketing company last year. I make websites and run ads for small local businesses. I have built 10 websites and helped three local businesses with running ads.