Friday Game Scores and News Along With the Top Games for Saturday

Geno Thorpe

Micah Mason

Micah Mason vs Geno Thorpe 

 In a game between two high profile players in Geno Thorpe of Shaler and Micah Mason of Highlands, Shaler ended up on top in the end with a 77-54 victory. Thorpe had 33 points in the victory for the Titans and Mason had 40 points, with the rest of the Golden Rams only scoring 14 points. Mason, who is committed to play at Drake University, seems to be back in the swing of things after being sidelined most of the off-season with POTS syndrome. Thorpe, who recently verbally committed to Penn State, is looking like he is on his way to having another excellent season. 

 Scores and Top Performers

• Shakim Alonzo of Woodland Hills scored 26 points in a 96-54 win over Summit Academy.
• Lincoln Davis scored 21 points in a 74-64 loss to Gonzaga, D.C. Gonzaga is ranked as the 23rd best team in the country in the USA Today. 
• Jon Shanty of Ford City had 40 points in the Sabers 67-41 win over United. Shanty scored 30 of his 40 points in the second half. The amazing thing about his performance is the fact that he made 10 three-pointers in the game. 
• Justin Dobbs of Allderdice scored 40 points in the 70-63 victory over Altoona.
• Wayne Capers of Chartiers Valley scored 26 points in their 91-48 win over Franklin Regional.
• J.C. Howard of North Allegheny scored 29 points in the 103-79 win over Hazelton. 
• Mike Connelly scored 21 points and John Arcuri scored 20 points for the Saint Joseph Spartans in their victory over Westinghouse. 

Other Scores

• Greensburg Central Catholic defeated Penn-Trafford 67-56 in the Saint Vincent College Tournament.
• Plum defeated Valley 62-32 in the Plum Tournament.
• Mount Lebanon defeated Kiski Area 56-38 in the Penn Hills Tournament.
• Hampton defeated Oliver 72-45 in the North Hills Tournament.
• Greensburg-Salem defeated McKeesport 59-51 in the Hempfield Tournament.
• North Catholic defeated DuBois Central Catholic 56-30 in the DuBois C.C. Tournament.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF SCORES FROM FRIDAY NIGHT, please click HERE.
                                           

Top Games for Saturday

• Blackhawk at Monessen at 2:30 p.m.
• Gateway at St. Vincent-St. Mary of Ohio, at 7:30 p.m.
• Freeport at Saint Joseph at 8:15 p.m.
• Shady Side Academy at Serra Catholic at 6:30 p.m.
• Highlands at Plum at 8 p.m.
• Butler vs Mount Lebanon at Penn Hills at 8:00 p.m.
• Hampton at North Hills at 8:00 p.m.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF GAMES FOR SATURDAY, please click HERE.

Updates and Thoughts On the Upcoming Season

     It has been quite a while since I have posted something on the website, but since the high school basketball season is now back in swing, I will be putting up posts much more frequently. I am now going to go over some of the things that have been happening recently.

Recruits Officially Commit

Micah Mason of Highlands

Micah Mason of Highlands has signed his letter of intent to attend Drake University.

Nolan Cressler of Plum

Nolan Cressler of Plum has officially committed to Cornell University.

Devontae Watson of Lincoln Park

Devontae Watson of Lincoln Park signed his letter of intent to attend Temple University.

Geno Thorpe Verbally Commits to Penn State

Geno Thorpe of Shaler decided to verbally commit to Penn State on the morning of November 8, the same day as his 17th birthday. Thorpe decided to pick Penn State over Pitt and Wisconsin. His decision has come as a surprise to many people. Steve Brodzinski of the Pittsburgh Basketball Report said that Geno said nothing to him about Penn State recruiting him when he conducted a Q&A with Geno back in August. Many people are beginning to like the new Penn State Nittany Lions coach, Pat Chambers. He now has a commitment from Thorpe, and many other high level recruits are becoming interested in the program as well. If you would like to view a video about why Geno Thorpe chose Penn State, please click the play button on the video above this story.

Other Updates

-     Former Monessen basketball player, Elijah Minnie, is now attending Summit Academy. Minnie, now a sophomore, is 6'8" and is a starter for the Knights of Summit Academy. He averaged 9 points a game as a freshmen last season before being sidelined by a knee injury at Monessen. Summit Academy coach, Art McCray said he is happy to have him and he also mentioned that his starting lineup will feature players with heights of 6'8", 6'8", 6'5", 6'4", 6'3". I will get an up close look at Elijah Minnie and coach Art McCray as the Summit Academy Knights take on the Saint Joseph Spartans in a scrimmage on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Summit Academy. If you would like to read a recent article from the Valley Independent about Elijah Minnie and Summit Academy, please click here.

-     Coach Mark Javens of Lincoln Park is required to miss the first 4 games of the season amidst accusations of recruiting violations. I will expand on this story soon but if you would like to read a story about this issue from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, please click here.

    

Nolan Cressler of Plum Decides Future

    


     Nolan Cressler is an excellent combo guard that will be entering his senior season this year at Plum High School. Cressler stands 6'4", and averaged 26 points a game during his junior season. He had multiple offers from several schools such as Boston University, Cornell, Holy Cross, Saint Francis (PA), and Yale. "Best day in my basketball career. Just committed to Cornell University!!," said Cressler via Facebook. Best of luck to Nolan Cressler this season and his future at Cornell University.

Update On Lincoln Park Transfers

     Ricky Rogers and Ryan Skovranko are both excellent basketball players that I have talked about in previous posts. Both players transferred to Lincoln Park last year. Rogers previously attended Keystone Oaks and Skovranko previously attended West Mifflin.

     On Tuesday, the W.P.I.A.L. held a hearing for both players. According to Mike White of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Ricky Rogers was ruled eligible, while Ryan Skovranko was ruled ineligible."Our board felt that at least part of the reason for Skovranko's transfer was athletically motivated," said Tim O'Malley, the executive director of the W.P.I.A.L. "But Rogers' decision to go there was to take advantage of performing arts that Lincoln Park offers." Rogers is a dancer and is currently enrolled in dance classes at Lincoln Park.

      White also said in his article that Skovranko takes a bus to Lincoln Park in Midland, which is nearly 50 miles from West Mifflin. Rogers still lives in the Keystone Oaks school district and plays football for Keystone Oaks since Lincoln Park does not have a football team.

     Skovranko is 6'6" and played well for a talented West Mifflin basketball team. The 6'3" Rogers averaged 10 points last season for Keystone Oaks.

If you would like to read the article written by Mike White, please click here.

Recent News Across the Pittsburgh High School Basketball Scene

     It has been a moment since any "hot" summer news has been posted to the website. Many things have changed across Pittsburgh High School basketball and I am going to talk about some of the most recent stories floating around.

Micah Mason Sidelined With Health Issues

   

Micah Mason

     Many people may not know about this but Highlands basketball star and future Drake University player, Micah Mason, has been sidelined for several weeks according to a recent report in the Valley News Dispatch. Mason was the W.P.I.A.L.'s leading scorer this past season with 33 points per-game and he had one of the best single game performances in W.P.I.A.L. history by scoring 64 points in one game. Mason has visited several doctors and they have finally found what has been causing an irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, and stomach problems. He was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which is also knows as POTS. The condition causes an excessive heart rate when individuals stand up. Blood in the legs does not return to the heart as quickly as it should. A couple of weeks ago he was diagnosed with spinal cord meningeal compression which was affecting his vagus nerve. This nerve controls heart rate, respiration, autonomic nerves and the digestive system. Mason visits a chiropractor four times a week so that they can reduce pressure on his neck and back. Mason has an excellent work ethic, which makes it hard for him to be sidelined for a long period of time. "I have to work through it," said Mason. Drake has recently told Mason that they will honor his scholarship regardless of his condition. Mason is sidelined for at least another 8 weeks or more. "I don't know, who knows? Maybe I won't play again," said Mason. "You just start to wonder why all this is happening. It's been scary." Perhaps Micah's father, John Mason said it best, "We're a family of great faith," he said. "There is always a plan. We're not fearful. If he is meant to play, he'll play."

If you would like to read the article about Mason in the Valley News Dispatch, please click here.

Lincoln Park Receives Three Transfers

     The Class A W.P.I.A.L. and P.I.A.A. Runner-Up Lincoln Park Leopards have received three excellent basketball players by transfer. The three players are 6'6" Ryan Skovranko from West Mifflin, 6'3" Ricky Rodgers from Keystone Oaks, and Maverick Rowan from Hopewell. Rowan transferred after his father, Ron, resigned as Hopewell's coach. According to Mike White of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a player from Freedom and Central Valley may also transfer to Lincoln Park. The W.P.I.A.L. hearing for Skovranko, Rodgers, and Rowan is set for August 23, 2011. 

Other News

Geno Thorpe

     

According to the Pittsburgh Basketball Report, Shaler basketball player, Geno Thorpe, is now unsure whether he will leave Shaler for Blair Academy. Thorpe has recently received a scholarship offer from Kansas State.

     

Jesse Reed

According to the Pittsburgh Basketball Report, Greensburg Central Catholic graduate, Jesse Reed, will be attending the Kiski School in Saltsburg, PA. The Kiski School is a prep-school. Reed had multiple Division II offers and once held an offer from Robert Morris but was given away to another player. 

     

     North Catholic standout football and basketball player, Ryan Lewis, has decided to transfer to Montour. Lewis has a hearing set with the W.P.I.A.L. board on July 12, 2011. 

Barnett Harris

     

Gateway's 6'10", Barnett Harris, has recently received an offer from South Florida. According to multiple sources, Harris has been playing very well at camps and on the AAU circuit this summer.

     

Nolan Cressler

     

Plum's Nolan Cressler currently holds offers from Cornell and Yale. He has also recently received an offer from Saint Francis (PA).

   

Recent News

     The AAU season has been going on for quite some time now. Many AAU teams are in the middle of their season and several teams are coming to a close. High school basketball summer leagues are currently in session or are soon to start. Players are working on their game. Decisions are being made by players and families during the summer months for academics and athletics. It has been an extremely interesting off-season with some great storylines and I'm going to talk about a few of them.

Geno Thorpe

     For people that are highly involved or interested in Pittsburgh high school basketball, many things are not very surprising to people. The decision by Geno Thorpe to transfer from Shaler High School to an academy somewhere did not come as a surprise to many. According to Steve Brodzinski, the founder of the Pittsburgh Basketball Report, Thorpe will attend Blair Academy in New Jersey. Thorpe plays for an excellent AAU team out of New Jersey called the New Jersey Playaz. When Thorpe attended Shady Side Academy as a freshman, he played with Mike Young. Mike Young transferred out of Shady Side Academy after his freshman year just like Thorpe. The only difference was that Young decided to leave Pennsylvania and attend St. Benedicts instead of staying inside of the W.P.I.A.L. like Thorpe did. Young and Thorpe are currently teammates on the New Jersey Playaz AAU team and supposedly Young will join Thorpe at Blair Academy. Not a surprise to many people since Geno Thorpe is one of the better players around.

Anthony Dallier

     What did come as a surprise to many is the decision to transfer by Anthony Dallier of North Allegheny. Dallier has decided to leave Pennsylvania and attend Northfield Mount Hermon in Hermon Massachusetts. Dallier currently holds an offer from Duquesne University. There are several Ivy League schools interested in Dallier and one of the things that Northfield Mount Hermon has is the ability to help people attend an Ivy League school. It says on their website that "NMH is considered the best combination of academics and basketball in the United States. In 2010-2011, NMH has 8 players in the Ivy League, more than any other school in the Nation, with players at Brown University, Cornell University, 3 at Dartmouth College and 3 at Harvard University." In my opinion, I feel like Dallier would really like to attend an Ivy League school, which is why he made the decision to attend Northfield Mount Hermon. If you would like to view Northfield Mount Hermon's website, please click here.


If you would like to read a report on Geno Thorpe and Anthony Dallier that was recently posted on the Pittsburgh Basketball Report, please click here.

Kamic Anyang

     Mount Lebanon has recently received a transfer from the state of Michigan. Kamic Anyang has come to Mount Lebanon from East Kentwood High School in Michigan. According to Mike White of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, several coaches have told him that Anyang with be a big part of Mount Lebanon in the upcoming season. He is either 6'4" or 6'5" and is an athletic player that has had some nice dunks in the summer league for Mount Lebanon. It should be interesting to see Anyang next season for the Blue Devils.


The only other major news is that 6'10" Devontae Watson of Lincoln Park is ranked #95 on Max-Preps Top 100 Players for the Class of 2012. I have previously written a report on this. If you would like to view it, please click here.

Sheldon Jeter of Beaver Falls is ranked the 86th best small forward for the class of 2012 by Espn.com

Lincoln Park Center Ranked #95 for Top 100 In the Class of 2012 On Max-Preps

     6'10" Devontae Watson of Lincoln Park is ranked #95 on Max-Preps for their top 100 in the class of 2012. Their top 100 players were released on the first day of May. Max-Preps is an excellent site to check for the recruiting and rankings of high school basketball players.

     I don't know how to feel about the ranking. I am surprised by the fact that on occasion, Watson seemed to disappear during some games and not play like a top 100 player at all times. I am not surprised by the fact that when he did play well, he looked like a top 100 player. The other reason why I am not surprised is because he is 6'10" and is an extremely long player, which college coaches love. Watson needs some work on his game and he needs to put some weight on his body to continually go against big men on the college level. If he continues to put in the work, he could succeed.

If you would like to view the complete Class of 2012 Top 100 list from Max-Preps, please click here.

Breaking News: Micah Mason of Highlands Verbally Commits to Drake University

Micah Mason

     D-Up Hoops Player of the Year, Micah Mason, verbally committed to Drake University on Sunday. Mason took an unofficial visit to the University this weekend and apparently fell in love with everything the school had to offer. His only scholarship offers were from Drake and Colgate, but several other Division I schools were also interested in Mason. He does not seem to want to attend any other school for college, but we have to remember that this is only a verbal commitment and that people can change their mind. He is not allowed to give his signature to attend Drake until November 9. No one knows if the other schools interested in Mason will continue to recruit him and follow him closely, if new schools will recognize his basketball ability and recruit him, if schools will give up, or if this will place pressure on other schools to eventually make an offer for Mason to play for them. It should be interesting to see how his recruiting process goes from here.



If you would like to see an article in the Valley News Dispatch featuring quotes from Micah Mason please click here.  

D-Up Hoops Player of the Year: Micah Mason

Micah Mason; D-Up Hoops Player of the Year

Micah Mason

School: Highlands Golden Rams

Class: Junior
Height: 6’2”
Position: Guard
Average Points Per-Game: 33
2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Mason scored 64 points in one game, in a win over section rival, Valley. This amazing game that he had was good enough to be second on the W.P.I.A.L. single game scoring list. Mason also had multiple 50+ point games, and 40+ point games. He averaged a W.P.I.A.L. best 33 points per-game, along with 8 assists, and 3 steals. Mason helped lead the Golden Rams to a 12-2 Section 1 Championship, an overall record of 15-8, and a #5 playoff seed. Micah Mason is an amazing shooter that has received scholarship offers from Drake and Colgate. NCAA Runner-up, Butler University, is also heavily interested in Mason.

Other Notes

     For those of you that follow W.P.I.A.L. basketball, you have definitely heard of Micah Mason and his amazing scoring output night in and night out. From his multiple 30+ point games, 40+ point games, 50+ point games, and his memorable career high 64 point game that was best for second all-time on the W.P.I.A.L. single game scoring list, we all know that Mason can put the ball in the hoop.

     Mason is a pure shooter that can spot up from anywhere on the court. He averaged a W.P.I.A.L. best 33 points a game this season.  The part of his game that many people do not know about is his great ability to pass the basketball. He led his team in assists with 8 a game. On a team that was criticized by some people for their lack of team defense at times, Mason was able to average 3 steals a game. His defense is another part of his game that I feel is underrated. He has been offered scholarships by Drake and Colgate. There are also several other Division I schools that are interested in Mason according to the Pittsburgh Basketball Report. Schools such as Akron, Duquesne, William & Mary, Toledo, East Carolina, Lafayette, Army, Kent State, Xavier, Richmond, Arizona State, Boston College, Maryland, Fairfield, and Butler. Mason worked out in front of Butler Head Coach, Brad Stevens, a couple of days ago at Highlands High School. Mason went through a 45 minute workout where he made an unbelievable amount of shots. He made 95 out of 100 3-pointers, 95 out of 100 free throws, and 65 out of 70 3-pointers in one drill specifically designed for 3-point shots. In a recent report in the Valley News Dispatch, “He said I was the best shooter he has seen,” Mason said, referring to Butler Coach Brad Stevens. Yesterday, Micah was named to the Max-Preps Junior All-American Team as an honorable mention. Also, earlier in the season, he was in Sports Illustrated for his 64 point game.  

     I have had the ability to watch and play with Micah from a young age and he has always been a great shooter, passer, and ball handler. When he was little, he was constantly playing and practicing, whether it was the court at his house, the local YMCA, etc. He practiced his shooting and ball handling like no other player. When he was younger, he always performed ball handling drills during the halftime of the A-K Valley Cager Classic, which is held at Highlands High School. Micah has had amazing work ethic all of his life, which is paying off today. The best thing about him is that he is still a junior in high school, which means he still has one more year left to show off his skills. He has finally been able to show his talent on the AAU circuit. Due to surgeries in previous years during the summer months, which are the same as AAU basketball, he was not able to show college coaches his ability at a higher level of competition. However, this summer he is healthy and has been doing well to this point in the AAU season. I expect him to receive more Division I interest and scholarships after AAU is over and during his senior season at Highlands.

     Micah Mason is well deserving of the first ever D-Up Hoops Player of the Year Award. He is an amazing shooter, ball handler, and pure scorer with a great work ethic that has had success and will continue to have success on the basketball court. Congratulations to Micah Mason and best of luck to him in the future. 

Mason shooting in 4th grade

Mason in 5th grade

Mason in 8th grade

Mason in 9th grade

Mason shooting this year

Mason shooting drill this year

Mason against Kittanning; Highlands down 61-57 with 3 minutes left. Mason with 4 points at the time. Scored final 16 points of game. Highlands wins 72-61.

Mason 64 point game: 3rd quarter

Mason 64 point game: 4th quarter

Micah Mason of Highlands Visited by Butler Coach Brad Stevens

     Micah Mason was visited by Butler Coach, Brad Stevens yesterday at Highlands. According to an article in the Valley News Dispatch, junior guard, Micah Mason made 95 of 100 3-pointers, 95 of 100 free throws, and during one drill, Mason made 65 of 70 3-point shots from 5 different spots behind the 3-point line. The workout was a non-stop workout session that lasted 45 minutes. According to Mason, "He said I was the best shooter he has seen," referring to Butler Coach Brad Stevens.

Above is a video of Micah Mason shooting at Highlands High School. Take a look.

D-Up Hoops Fantastic 5

Micah Mason Fantastic 5

Micah Mason

School: Highlands Golden Rams

Class: Junior

Height: 6’2”

Position: Guard

Average Points Per-Game: 33

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Mason scored 64 points in one game, in a win over section rival, Valley. This amazing game that he had was good enough to be second on the W.P.I.A.L. single game scoring list. Mason also had multiple 50+ point games, and 40+ point games. He averaged a W.P.I.A.L. best 33 points per-game, along with 8 assists, and 3 steals. Mason helped lead the Golden Rams to a 12-2 Section 1 Championship, an overall record of 15-8, and a #5 playoff seed. Micah Mason is an amazing shooter that has received scholarship offers from Drake and Colgate. NCAA Runner-up, Butler University, is also heavily interested in Mason.

Devon Cottrell Fantastic 5

Devon Cottrell

School: Gateway Gators

Class: Senior

Height: 6’7”

Position: Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 18

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Cottrell was an excellent player for the Gators this season. He brought toughness to the team with rebounding, physical defense, and hustle plays. He averaged 18 points a game this season. Cottrell ended his career on a high note by helping lead his team to a Section 2 Championship, an overall record of 23-5, a #4 seed in the playoffs, and a W.P.I.A.L. Championship. Cottrell will attend Division II, IUP, to play basketball and go to college.

Sheldon Jeter

Sheldon Jeter Fantastic 5

School: Beaver Falls Tigers

Class: Junior

Height: 6’7’’

Position: Guard/Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 25

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: After missing several games to start the season off due to injury, Sheldon Jeter was still one of the best players in the entire W.P.I.A.L.  Jeter led his team in scoring with 25 points, and also led his team in rebounding with nearly 10 rebounds each game. He helped lead his team to an undefeated Section 6 Championship with a record of 12-0. He also helped lead his team to a Class AA #2 seed with an overall record of 21-7. Jeter and the Tigers fell short in the W.P.I.A.L. Playoffs but still made the P.I.A.A. State Playoffs, where they were defeated by Greensburg C.C. Jeter has received scholarship offers from Penn State, Saint Joseph’s, and Temple.

Jesse Reed Fantastic 5

Jesse Reed

School: Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Class: Senior

Height: 6’5’’

Position: Guard/Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 17

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Jesse Reed led his team in scoring, and he also led the Centurions to an undefeated Section 4 Championship with a record of 12-0. Reed finished his career as a 1,000 point scorer, and was the W.P.I.A.L. Championship Runner-up, and also the P.I.A.A. Championship Runner-up. Reed previously had a scholarship offer from Robert Morris University.

Chaquille Pratt Fantastic 5

Chaquille Pratt

School: Lincoln Park Leopards

Class: Senior

Height: 6’3”

Position: Guard

Average Points Per-Game: 23

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Pratt helped lead the Leopards to a 21-8 record and to a W.P.I.A.L. Playoff #3 seed. He led his team in scoring with 23 points per-game. He hit a game winning 3-point shot in semi-final W.P.I.A.L. Playoff win over North Catholic. He was also a W.P.I.A.L. Championship Runner-up and P.I.A.A. Championship Runner-up.

* The D-Up Hoops Player of the Year will be released on Friday, April 22, 2011.

D-Up Hoops Awards: Top 5 Players In Class AAAA

Devon Cottrell

Devon Cottrell

School: Gateway Gators

Class: Senior

Height: 6’7”

Position: Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 18

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Cottrell was an excellent player for the Gators this season. He brought toughness to the team with rebounding, physical defense, and hustle plays. He averaged 18 points a game this season. Cottrell ended his career on a high note by helping lead his team to a Section 2 Championship, an overall record of 23-5, a #4 seed in the playoffs, and a W.P.I.A.L. Championship. Cottrell will attend Division II, IUP, to play basketball and go to college.

Anthony Dallier

Anthony Dallier

School: North Allegheny Tigers

Class: Junior

Height: 6’6”

Position: Guard

Average Points Per-Game: 24 

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Dallier was the leader of the North Allegheny Tigers this season. He averaged 24 points and 7 rebounds a game. He scored 47 points in one game this season. Dallier led his team to a 10-2 section record, an overall record of 20-4, and a #3 seed in the playoffs. Dallier has several Division I schools that are interested in him playing basketball such as Penn, Harvard, Princeton, Davidson, and Duquesne.

Tyler Scott

Tyler Scott

School: Gateway Gators

Class: Junior

Height: 6’6”

Position: Guard

Average Points Per-Game: 22 

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Scott was the leading scorer of the very talented Gateway Gators. He led his team with 22 points a game. Scott helped lead his team to a Section 2 Championship, an overall record of 23-5, a #4 seed in the playoffs, and a W.P.I.A.L. Championship. Scott is receiving some Division I interest.   

Nolan Cressler

Nolan Cressler

School: Plum Mustangs

Class: Junior

Height: 6’4”

Position: Guard

Average Points Per-Game: 26 

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Cressler was the sole leader of the Plum Mustangs this season. He scored 26 points a game and had one game where he scored a total of 46 points. Cressler also led the Mustangs to the playoffs. He is receiving Division I interest from multiple schools.

Aaron Johnson

Aaron Johnson

School: Moon Tigers

Class: Senior

Height: 6’3”

Position: Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 24 

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Johnson led the Tigers to the playoffs with a section record of 7-7 and an overall record of 15-8. He averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds a game this season. Most importantly, according to a recent report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Johnson is an excellent student and is number one in his class.  

* The D-Up Hoops Fantastic 5 will be released on Wednesday, April 20, 2011.

D-Up Hoops Awards: Top 5 Players In Class AAA

Micah Mason

Micah Mason

School: Highlands Golden Rams

Class: Junior

Height: 6’2”

Position: Guard

Average Points Per-Game: 33

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Mason scored 64 points in one game, in a win over section rival, Valley. This amazing game that he had was good enough to be second on the W.P.I.A.L. single game scoring list. Mason also had multiple 50+ point games, and 40+ point games. He averaged a W.P.I.A.L. best 33 points per-game, along with 8 assists, and 3 steals. Mason helped lead the Golden Rams to a 12-2 Section 1 Championship, an overall record of 15-8, and a #5 playoff seed. Micah Mason is an amazing shooter that has received scholarship offers from Drake and Colgate. NCAA Runner-up, Butler University, is also heavily interested in Mason.

Josh Valentic

Josh Valentic

School: Trinity Hillers

Class: Senior

Height: 6’3”

Position: Guard

Average Points Per-Game: 30

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Valentic was second in scoring in the W.P.I.A.L. this season. The most points he scored in one game was 51 points. He helped lead the Hillers to the playoffs, a 7-5 section record, and a 15-9 overall record. He will be attending Division II Wheeling-Jesuit University.

C.J. Hester

C.J. Hester

School: West Mifflin Titans

Class: Senior

Height: 6’4”

Position: Guard/Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 18

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Hester helped lead the Titans to an 11-1 Section 4 Championship, a 22-4 overall record, and a #2 playoff seed. Hester had multiple concussions throughout the season, which sidelined him for several games. He will play basketball and attend college at West Liberty University.

Pat Zedreck

Pat Zedreck

School: South Fayette Lions 

Class: Senior

Height: 6’0”

Position: Guard

Average Points Per-Game: 15

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Zedreck helped lead the Lions to a 12-0 undefeated Section 5 Championship, and a 25-3 overall record. He was also a W.P.I.A.L. Runner-up, and he helped the Lions to a P.I.A.A. Semi-Final Playoff appearance. Zedreck averaged 15 points per-game and 12 assists.

Mike Lamberti

Mike Lamberti

School: South Fayette Lions 

Class: Senior

Height: 6’6”

Position: Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 19

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Lamberti helped lead the Lions to a 12-0 undefeated Section 5 Championship, and a 25-3 overall record. He was also a W.P.I.A.L. Runner-up, and he helped the Lions to a P.I.A.A. Semi-Final Playoff appearance. He averaged 19 points per-game, and will be attending West Liberty University to play basketball and attend college.

* The Top 5 Players In Class AAAA will be released on Monday, April 18, 2011.

D-Up Hoops Awards: Top 5 Players In Class AA

Sheldon Jeter

Sheldon Jeter

School: Beaver Falls Tigers

Class: Junior

Height: 6’7’’

Position: Guard/Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 25

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: After missing several games to start the season off due to injury, Sheldon Jeter was still one of the best players in the entire W.P.I.A.L.  Jeter led his team in scoring with 25 points, and also led his team in rebounding with nearly 10 rebounds each game. He helped lead his team to an undefeated Section 6 Championship with a record of 12-0. He also helped lead his team to a Class AA #2 seed with an overall record of 21-7. Jeter and the Tigers fell short in the W.P.I.A.L. Playoffs but still made the P.I.A.A. State Playoffs, where they were defeated by Greensburg C.C. Jeter has received scholarship offers from Penn State, Saint Joseph’s, and Temple.



Jesse Reed

Jesse Reed

School: Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions

Class: Senior

Height: 6’5’’

Position: Guard/Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 17

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Jesse Reed led his team in scoring, and he also led the Centurions to an undefeated Section 4 Championship with a record of 12-0. Reed finished his career as a 1,000 point scorer, and was the W.P.I.A.L. Runner-up, and also the P.I.A.A. Runner-up. Reed previously had a scholarship offer from Robert Morris University.



Nate Bellhy

Nate Bellhy

School: Fort Cherry Rangers

Class: Senior

Height: 6’5”

Position: Guard/Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 26

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Bellhy led his team in scoring with 26 points a game and also helped lead his team to the W.P.I.A.L. Playoffs in 2011. Bellhy will play basketball and attend college at Seton Hill.



Mitch Locher

Mitch Locher

School: Avonworth Antelopes

Class: Senior

Height: 6’4”

Position: Guard/Forward

Average Points Per-Game: 23

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Locher led his team in scoring with 23 points a game this season. Even though it was a disappointing year for the Antelopes, Locher had a great individual season.



Shawn Smith

Shawn Smith

School: Sto-Rox Vikings  

Class: Senior

Height: 6’2”

Position: Guard

Average Points Per-Game: 21

2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Smith led his team in scoring with 21 points a game, and also helped lead his team to undefeated Section 5 Championship with a record of 10-0. He also helped lead his team to an overall record of 23-5, a W.P.I.A.L. Semi-Final Playoff appearance, and a P.I.A.A. State Playoff appearance.  

* The Top 5 Players In Class AAA will be released on Friday, April 15, 2011.

D-Up Hoops Awards: Top 5 Players In Class A

Chaquille Pratt

Chaquille Pratt

School: Lincoln Park Leopards

Class: Senior
Height: 6’3”
Position: Guard
Average Points Per-Game: 23
2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Pratt helped lead the Leopards to a 21-8 record and to a W.P.I.A.L. Playoff #3 seed. He led his team in scoring with 23 points per-game. He hit a game winning 3-point shot in semifinal W.P.I.A.L. Playoff win over North Catholic. He was also a W.P.I.A.L. Championship Runner-up and P.I.A.A. Championship Runner-up.

Brian Heinle

Brian Heinle

School: Saint Joseph Spartans

Class: Senior
Height: 6’4”
Position: Guard
Average Points Per-Game: 26
2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Helped lead the Spartans to a Section 4 Co-section Championship, W.P.I.A.L. Playoff #6 seed, and a 20-4 record. Scored a career high 44 points in a section win over Leechburg this season. Heinle led the team in points, assists, and rebounds. He earned an invitation to play in the A-K Valley Cager Classic, where he won the MVP award, and he also earned an invitation to play in the Roundball Classic, and the Kenny Durrett Memorial Classic. He will play college basketball at Wheeling-Jesuit University, La Roche College, or Pitt-Greensburg.

Devontae Watson

Devontae Watson

School: Lincoln Park Leopards
Class: Junior
Height: 6’10”
Position: Forward/Center
Average Points Per-Game: 17
2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Watson helped lead the Leopards to a 21-8 record and to a W.P.I.A.L. Playoff #3 seed. Watson was second on his team in scoring, and led the team in rebounds and blocks. He had multiple triple-double basketball games. He was also a W.P.I.A.L. Championship Runner-up and P.I.A.A. Championship Runner-up. Lastly, he was recently offered a scholarship to play basketball and attend college at Temple University.

John Bray

John Bray

School: Vincentian Academy Royals

Class: Senior
Height: 6’4”
Position: Forward
Average Points Per-Game: 17
2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Bray helped lead the Royals to a Section 2 Co-section Championship, a W.P.I.A.L. Playoff #4 seed, and a 27-2 record. Bray led the team in scoring, and also helped the team win the W.P.I.A.L. Championship.  He also helped the Royals get to the P.I.A.A. semifinals.

E.J. Blackwell

E.J. Blackwell

School: Rochester
Class: Senior
Height: 6’3”
Position: Guard
Average Points Per-Game: 21
2010-2011 Notable Accolades: Blackwell helped lead the Rams to an undefeated section record, a section 1 Championship, and a 19-4 overall record. Blackwell also led the team in scoring.






* The Top 5 Players In Class AA will be released Wednesday, April 13, 2011.