MALE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

(Pam Panchak/Post-Gazette)

WPIAL CLASS 6A

Ethan Morton, Butler

Height: 6-6 • Position: Guard • Average points: 27.5 • Year: Junior

Mike White

Post-Gazette 2019 Boys Coach of the Year: Adam Kaufman

• Ranked No. 44 junior in country

• Scholarship offers from Pitt, Michigan, Virginia and many more

• Scored 51 in one game this season

• Averaged close to triple-double with 10.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists

(Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette)

WPIAL CLASS 5A

Donovan “Puff” Johnson, Moon

Height: 6-7 • Position: Guard-Forward • Average points: 22.1 • Year: Junior

Brad Everett

Post-Gazette 2019 Girls co-Coaches of the Year: Tim McConnell and Bert Kendall

• Helped Moon win a state championship

• Averaged 9.4 rebounds and made 61 3-pointers

• Ranked No. 124 junior in the country

• Duquesne, Arizona, Xavier have offered scholarships

(Haley Nelson/Post-Gazette)

WPIAL CLASS 4A

Ryan Stowers, Quaker Valley

Height: 6-5 • Position: Guard-Forward • Average points: 22.8 • Year: Senior

• Team reached WPIAL final for third consecutive year

• Versatile player who averaged 6.5 rebounds

• Scored 1,105 points in only two years as starter

• Averaged 15 a game as junior and was all-section

(Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette)

WPIAL CLASS 3A

Keeno Holmes, Lincoln Park

Height: 6-2 • Position: Guard • Average points: 16.9 • Year: Senior

• First boy in WPIAL history to start four title games

• Shot 81 percent from free-throw line this season

• Averaged 4.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds

• Had 1,658 career points; will play at Allegheny College

(Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette)

WPIAL CLASS 2A

Jimmy Moon, Serra Catholic

Height: 6-8 • Position: Forward • Average points: 28.8 • Year: Senior

• Versatile big man made 49 3-pointers this season

• Averaged 14 rebounds and 4 blocks for WPIAL finalist

• Shot 61 percent from field

• Will play next season at Seton Hill

(Pam Panchak/Post-Gazette)

WPIAL CLASS 1A

Kaden DiVito, Cornell

Height: 5-11 • Position: Guard • Average points: 26.2 • Year: Junior

• 4th in WPIAL in scoring this season

• Made 84 3-pointers

• Averaged 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists

• Has more than 1,438 career points

(Steph Chambers/Post-Gazette)

CITY LEAGUE

Jackson Blaufeld, Allderdice

Height: 6-4 • Position: Guard • Average points: 19.4 • Year: Senior

• Excellent shooter made 77 3-pointers this season

• Averaged 5.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds

• Had 1,148 career points, 209 3-pointers

• Has signed with Dartmouth

Quaker Valley girls basketball team gets back in win column

 Michael Love

Wednesday, February 6, 2019 | 11:57 AM

Quakers extend win streak and avenge loss

The Quaker Valley boys basketball team put its only two losses this season far in the rear view mirror as it has won seven games in a row.

The latest came Tuesday in a 75-61 victory over Blackhawk. The win avenged its one-point setback to the Cougars from Jan. 11.

Quaker Valley (17-2) and New Castle sit tied for the Section 2-4A lead at 9-2, and Ambridge is a half game back at 8-2.

The section title will be decided later this week as Ambridge and QV meet on Friday before Ambridge faces New Castle on Saturday. Both games are set for 7:30 p.m.

Quaker Valley boys basketball hopes experience pays off in postseason

By: Joe Sager
Friday, February 1, 2019 | 7:48 PM

Quaker Valley’s boys basketball team has reached the WPIAL Class 4A championship game the last two seasons.

The Quakers hope to make it a third.

After going through a tough Section 2 schedule, they believe they are prepared for a long postseason journey.

“It’s huge to get the experience. This section gets us really ready for the playoffs because all these teams are so talented,” Quaker Valley senior Danny Conlan said. “You have to be ready to step up your level. We’ll be ready to go once playoffs come.”

Quaker Valley got off to a 10-0 start, including a 4-0 mark in the section that included a 67-48 win at New Castle. However, the Quakers hit a speedbump with a 70-69 overtime loss at Blackhawk. A home 72-67 setback in double overtime to Ambridge followed. The squad rebounded for a 68-43 win over Beaver and survived a scare against Central Valley, 49-47. Quaker Valley beat New Castle again 70-67 but needed overtime to do it. That win gave the team a boost and a tie for the section lead at 7-2 with New Castle and Ambridge heading into the final week of section play.

“We’re back now. We’ve learned from our mistakes, and we’re trying to be better, moving forward,” Quaker Valley senior Ryan Stowers said. “The section is definitely wild. Teams are losing to teams they wouldn’t expect to. It just shows you have to come in every day and not judge any team by the standings because any team can beat any team.”

The Quakers hope their experience of highs and lows and intense situations in the regular season will help in the postseason.

“(The New Castle win) is a confidence booster for us going into playoffs. It really showed our perseverance,” Conlan said. “We lost our first two overtime games, so we are making progress as the year goes on. We just have to keep it going.”

Added Stowers, “These games definitely get us ready, so we know how to handle adversity playing with the lead and without the lead.”

Stowers (22.8 points per game) and Conlan (16.2) have paced the Quakers. However, they’re getting contributions from a multitude of players. That’s what coach Mike Mastroianni likes to see.

“We play a lot of guys, and I think our guys really understand their roles. Danny and Ryan have been in our program, and they realize they have to go and make some plays for us when we need them,” he said. “We’re heading in the right direction and getting good contributions.”

Freshman Adou Thiero moved into the starting lineup at point guard and has averaged 9.2 points. Christian Johnston and Quinn Hill joined those three in the starting five. However, Jon Weir, K.C. Johns, Jackson Zernich and Kyle Wolf have seen regular minutes, as well.

Mastroianni is happy with his team’s progress.

“Our section really prepares us. It’s difficult because until you go through the different game situations, you just don’t know how your team will respond,” he said. “We’ve been through some situations with the overtime games, and we were able to learn a little from that. We’re in a good place with our team.”

By: George Guido
Saturday, January 26, 2019 | 11:03 PM

Two lengthy dry spells and a rebounding advantage for Quaker Valley spelled doom for Knoch’s 11-game winning streak.

The Knights, No. 5 in this week’s Trib HSSN Class 4A rankings, fell to the No. 2 Quakers, 68-53, on Saturday afternoon in the Pittsburgh Basketball Club showcase at Montour.

Knoch was held scoreless for four minutes in the first half and 4:50 in the second half to end the program’s longest winning streak in 16 seasons.

The Knights (13-4) could only muster two rebounds in the first quarter, and Quaker Valley dominated the boards overall, 14-7, in the first half.

“I thought we really did a good job defensively today,” Quakers coach Mike Mastroianni said. “We emphasized how they’re a really good-shooting team. They usually have four guys on the floor who can shoot.”

Knoch, which clinched a WPIAL playoff berth Friday, got a look at what a future postseason challenge might look like. The Quakers (13-2) were last year’s WPIAL runner-up.

“I think this opened some of our kids’ eyes,” Knights coach Ron McNabb said. “We have some work to do, but I like the way we competed. We were down a lot, but we didn’t quit.”

Quaker Valley led 10-8 with 3:26 left in the first quarter before going on an 11-0 run.

The Quakers then held the Knights scoreless for the final 4:36 of the third period.

Ryan Stowers led Quaker Valley with 27 points — 18 in the first half. The senior swingman, averaging 24.5 points, collected 10 rebounds.

Quaker Valley had a 57-29 advantage at the end of three quarters before the Knights finally found their shooting touch, cutting the deficit to 14 with 2:47 to go.

Jared Schrecengost scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, and freshman Ryan Lang hit a trio of 3-pointers late.

“I thought their offense got a little stagnant early, then they got some flow in the second half and were making their shots,” Mastroianni said. “I thought we did a good job defending, then getting back into help. I thought that was the key to the game.”

“We got good looks early on. We just couldn’t make them,” McNabb said.

Scott Frazer, the Alle-Kiski Valley’s third-leading scorer at 19 points per game, had 14.

Despite Quaker Valley’s domination, both coaches were happy to play what could be a prelude to another meeting in the playoffs next month.

“It gives you idea what other teams are like since you’re locked into your section,” Mastroianni said. “Knoch’s like a high-level playoff team, so you can good a good test.”

Said McNabb: “We wanted to see how we matched up with them. They’re actually ranked in the state. I wanted to let our players see what it takes to get to that next level.”

It was the first game between the schools since 1991.

Quaker Valley athlete of the week: Adou Thiero

 Shawn Annarelli

Wednesday, February 6, 2019 | 7:33 AM

Adou Thiero

School: Quaker Valley

Sport: Basketball

Class: Freshman

Claim to fame: Adou Thiero was meant to be a basketball player.

His father, Almamy Thiero, played college basketball at Memphis and Duquesne. His mother, Mariam Sy, was selected in the 2006 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics.

Adou Thiero has made his mark at the high school level and has NCAA and NBA aspirations. He scored 20 points and had 13 assists in three games last week.

How much of adjustment was it for you to join the team as a freshman and have an impact every game?

It’s been a really big adjustment for me. If it weren’t for the seniors on this team, I don’t think I’d be able to contribute as much as I am now. The coaching staff is amazing, and they’ve also helped me adjust to this level.

Who have you learned a lot from on the team?

Ryan Stowers, Kyle Wolf and Danny Conlan. They’ve always told me what we need to do, and whenever I make a mistake, they just tell me to keep my head up and to keep playing. They might tell me how to make a better pass next time and things like that to help me.

You lead the team with 24 steals this season. Why is that an important part of your game?

I feel like defense is key. Offense wins games, and defense wins championships. Playing defense is really important, so getting steals for my team and getting it to another player (in transition) is important.

What do you feel is the best part of your game, and what do you wish you were better at right now?

Right now, I feel like my passing to teammates to get their points is a big part of my game. What I feel I can improve is defense and scoring. I think I can score more, because I know I’ve missed some chances here and there.

Your dad played in college at Memphis and Duquesne. How has he influenced you in basketball?

He showed me everything I needed through elementary school and middle school to develop my talent. He’s helped me get to this level, because he’s been through all of this. He’s been helping me get to the same spot (he was at).

What are your goals at Quaker Valley?

I just want to help the team win WPIALs and states and bring a state championship back to the school. I don’t know if they’ve won it before, but I want to win states for our school.

Is there anyone you try to style your game after?

I watch the NBA, see a couple moves and try to work on that in the gym. I watched Derrick Rose in his prime and worked on his moves and now it’s Kyrie (Irving). He’s a great finisher, and his ball-handling is great and so is his jump shot.

 Shawn Annarelli

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 | 7:33 AM

Danny Conlan

School: Quaker Valley

Sport: Basketball

Class: Senior

Claim to fame: If a game comes down to the last possession, Danny Conlan wants the ball in his hands.

It’s hard to argue with Conlan who recently became the 11th basketball player in Quaker Valley history to score 1,000 career points. He also knows teammates like Ryan Stowers, the team’s leading scorer this season, are just as capable of putting a game away.

What does it mean to you to get 1,000 points in your career?

It means a lot. I think it reflects all of the hard work I’ve put in. … It’s a great honor, and I am very blessed.

Who has been instrumental in feeding you the ball over the years to help you hit that milestone?

My sophomore year there were a lot of guys, especially Amos Luptak and Wolfie Mozer. Playing with someone like Coletrane (Washington) was great. And this year Ryan Stowers, Jackson Zemich, K.C. Johns and a lot of other guys have helped me and the team succeed.

What is your favorite shot on the court?

I honestly like to get to the rim as much as I can, because it frees up my 3-point shot later in the game. I’ll score my earlier points closer to the rim, and when opponents back off a little bit I’ll step back and shoot for 3 and try to get into a rhythm.

The same night you reached 1,000 the team lost its first game of the season. How do you feel the team will respond?

I think we’ll bounce back pretty well. I think we’ll learn from it and come back stronger. I think we’ve been focused our last few practices, and we’ve focused on our weaknesses to polish those off, so I think we’ll be good.

You’ve been a part of several teams that have come close to winning WPIAL championships. Why is this team capable of winning that title?

I think we’re experienced. We’ve got six or seven seniors this year who have played a lot in the past. I think we all kind of have had the experience of losing a championship at a really high level, and I think we have a chip on our shoulders to get back there and win that championship.

If the Quakers are back in the WPIAL championship game, it’s the last possession and you need someone to hit the game-winner, who should take it?

I think I should. I’ll say I trust my teammates, but when it comes down to that I want the ball. I feel like I’ve earned that spot. I hate to say it, but I do think either Ryan or I should get that shot. It’s also good to have a lot of guys though that want the ball, that have confidence in themselves to make clutch shots.

By: Joe Sager
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 | 10:34 PM

Overtime had not been overly kind to Quaker Valley’s boys basketball team this season. 

That all changed Tuesday night as the Quakers held off New Castle for a 70-67 home win in a WPIAL Section 2-4A thriller. 

“These past couple weeks have been tough,” Quaker Valley senior Ryan Stowers said. “Now that we came out with a big win, that’s huge for us.” 

Recently, Quaker Valley (14-2 overall, 7-2 section) endured back-to-back section losses beyond regulation. The Quakers fell at Blackhawk, 70-69, in overtime and dropped a 72-67 home decision to Ambridge in double overtime. They survived another scare Friday when they held off Central Valley for a 49-47 win. 

“It’s definitely great to get this one,” Stowers said. “We kind of regained the section and we kind of showed what we can do after having an off week against Blackhawk and Ambridge. We’re back now. We’ve learned from our mistakes, and we’re trying to be better, moving forward.” 

The victory creates a three-way logjam for first in the section with Ambridge, New Castle and Quaker Valley all at 7-2. 

“This was was a tremendous high school game. I said the same thing after the Ambridge game. I thought Ambridge just made a couple more plays, and we just made a couple more plays in this game,” Quaker Valley coach Mike Mastroianni said. “I think either game could have gone either way.” 

The Quakers led for a majority of the contest. An 11-2 run to close the first quarter gave them a 20-15 lead at the buzzer. Quaker Valley used its transition game to push the lead to 14 points, 33-19, in the second, but the Red Hurricanes (13-4, 7-2) closed the gap to five, 38-33, at halftime. 

Again, Quaker Valley started to pull away in the third and pushed its lead as high as 11 points, 44-33, but New Castle trimmed it to eight, 54-46 at the end of the frame. 

“New Castle is such a high-level team. I am not sure anybody gets after it as well as them. They never go away. We tell our kids that their press is better in the second half than it is in the first half, and it’s pretty good in the first half,” Mastroianni said. “I thought we took care of the ball well tonight. We weren’t rebounding well — and they are a terrific rebounding team — but we didn’t turn it over much, which I thought was a big key.” 

After an Adou Theiro bucket gave the hosts a 58-49 edge with 6:40 left in the fourth, the Red Hurricanes took over. Sheldon Cox and Demetris McKnight capped a 9-0 run with a pair of quick layups to knot the game at 58-all with 1:40 on the clock. 

Danny Conlan’s free throw gave Quaker Valley a 61-60 edge with 31 seconds left. New Castle called a timeout with 13.8 seconds to go and Cox drew a foul with 1.9 seconds on the scoreboard. He made his first free throw, but missed the second and the game headed to overtime. 

In the extra session, Stowers broke a 66-all tie with a pair of free throws with 1:02 left. Drew Cox split two free throws to trim New Castle’s deficit to 68-67. Stowers went back to the line with 23.5 seconds left and calmly swished both shots for a 70-67 buffer. 

“He was very clutch,” Conlan said. “We work on free throws every day. Ryan kept his head and played really well.” 

After a timeout with 16.2 seconds on the clock, the Red Hurricanes managed to get off a pair of 3-point shots, but neither found the mark and Quaker Valley held on for the win. 

“It was great,” Conlan said. “We persevered.” 

Sheldon Cox led all scorers with 29 points for New Castle. Stowers led the Quakers with 21, while Conlan finished with 19. 

By Greg Macafee / gmacafee@timesonline.com

Posted Jan 14, 2019 at 12:00 PM

LEETSDALE – Whenever the Quaker Valley boys basketball team has stepped on the court this season, no matter the opponent, they’ve had a certain number in mind.

45.

That’s the number that the Quakers try to hold their opponents to each and every game, and so far through the 2018-19 season, they’ve only had five teams score more in a game.

In fact, prior to Friday night’s surprising 70-69 loss to Blackhawk, the Quakers were ranked first in the WPIAL in points allowed per game with 43. Now, after suffering that overtime setback, the Quakers are ranked second at 45.5, behind Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which has allowed 45.3 per points per game after Friday’s win over Mohawk.

“We really pride our self on our defense,” senior forward Danny Conlan said. “Once we get into a rhythm on that end, it kind of comes to us on offense. We can run, rebound, and get up and down the court because that’s the way we like to play.”

Over the past two seasons, the Quakers have been known for their offensive prowess on the basketball court. They’ve accumulated a record of 51-6, winning 25 or more games in both seasons, and also put up their highest and second highest points per game totals in the past 10 years.

From Amos Luptak in 2016-2017 to Coletrane Washington last season and a great supporting cast around them, the Quakers have never been short on offensive talent. They pushed the ball up and down the court at will, surpassing the 75-point mark in 24 games and never lost a game when they scored 70 points or more.

But, when longtime head coach Mike Mastroianni looked ahead to this season after the Quakers fell to Sharon in the Class 4A PIAA semifinals in March, he looked to areas where they could improve.

“We had had really outstanding seasons over the past few years, and we needed to figure out how we could get better,” Mastroianni said. “We figured that would be one of the areas. Really, the credit goes to our senior class, because they are really taking a sense of pride in that piece. To be good at it, it’s something that has to happen every day and every day in practice they are taking the same amount of pride in it that they do on Tuesdays and Fridays.”

Along with having the mentality of succeeding on the defensive end of the court, the Quakers have a roster filled with length, size and quickness. Thirteen players are listed at 6′0″ or taller, and Jonathan Weir, Ryan Stowers and Conlan, are all listed at 6-foot-5.

While long arms and tall defenders can take up room in the paint, Mastroianni also has a few on-ball defenders like KC Johns, Adou Thiero, Jackson Zernich and others who have been suffocating ball handlers and sharp shooters all season long.

“We’ve been so big the past few years, we haven’t had many on-the-ball defenders,” Mastroianni said. “I think where our improvement is, is we have multiple on-the-ball defenders, and that’s a big thing in high school basketball. Pressuring the ball over 32 minutes.”

In fact, through their first 10 games, only two players scored 15 or more points against Quaker Valley. Wilimington’s Tage Kelliher scored 17 points when the Greyhounds scored 54 total points, and West Allegheny’s Jackson Faulk scored 19 of his team’s 46 points when the two teams met up over the holiday break.

“It’s just the defensive preparation in practice,” senior forward Ryan Stowers said. “Just knowing their skills and weaknesses, attacking them, and trying to make them uncomfortable.”

A lot goes into the defensive product that the Quakers display on the court each game. Scouting opponents, putting together a game plan, and implementing that game plan are all key factors, but Mastroianni believes that his teams defensive effort comes from the enjoyment they get out of it.

“It’s probably the best part,” Mastroianni said. “They get enjoyment knowing who they have to guard and what they like to do. That’s probably not the norm at the high school level. For them to be that engaged, all the credit goes to them. They watch the film, they see things defensively and to us, that’s a great sign.”

But there’s always room for improvement. On Friday, in their 11th game of the season, Blackhawk’s Sammy Fusetti and James Darno became just the third and fourth players to score 15 or more points on the Quakers when they each scored 19.

“We’re looking at the whole rather than just the part,” Mastroianni said. “I still see things that we can get better at because we’re obviously still trying to get better, on the defensive end as well.”

Quaker Valley will have plenty of time to improve in those areas with 10 games remaining on its schedule in the regular season. And this time around, with a prolific offense and a stout defense, the Quakers are hoping they can take it one step further this season.

By Greg Macafee / gmacafee@timesonline.com

Posted Jan 22, 2019 at 10:14 PMUpdated Jan 22, 2019 at 10:14 PM

LEETSDALE — Over the past week and a half, the Quaker Valley boys basketball team suffered their first two losses of the season and also had last Friday’s matchup with Belle Vernon cancelled due to the incoming snowstorm.

So, heading into Tuesday night’s game with the red-hot Beaver Area Bobcats, who were winners of their last three games, the Quakers were well-rested and it showed. Led by Ryan Stowers with 19 points and Danny Conlan with 18, the Quakers settled back into Quaker Valley basketball and ran away with their fifth section victory of the season, 68-43.

Quaker Valley didn’t control this one from wire-to-wire, and through the first 13 minutes, it was a back-and-forth affair. The two teams traded runs throughout the first quarter, but neither could build a substantial lead.

With about a minute remaining in the first quarter, Brodie List drilled a 3-point shot that tied the game at 11. Then, the Quakers got lay-ups from Jackson Zernich and Adou Thiero to end the quarter.

“I think a little bit early on we were getting our feet back under us,” Quaker Valley head coach Mike Mastroianni said. “Then, we defended really well as the game went on.”

Early on in the second quarter, it was much of the same. Both teams traded baskets until around the three-minute mark. Ryan Stowers poked a loose ball away and flushed down a two-handed dunk to give the Quakers a three-point lead.

From there, the Quakers cruised. They finished the first half on a 7-0 run, then started the second half on a 9-0 run to build a substantial lead that they never relinquished throughout the third and fourth quarters.

“We’ve been doing that all year, we’ve actually finished off halves pretty well almost the whole season here,” Mastroianni said. “Then we’ve carried on that momentum, so I thought that was big how we came out early.”

Beaver Area never seemed comfortable in the second half. The Quakers created pressure and played defense well throughout the entire game, and that defense turned into offense on the opposite end. The Quakers had shaken off their two-game losing streak, and they were back to playing Quaker Valley basketball.

On one occasion, the Quakers brought the ball up the floor, Zernich received a pass, drove baseline, kicked the ball to Jonathan Weir, who swung it to K.C. Johns, who in turn made the extra pass to Conlan for a wide open 3-pointer.

“This was probably more of the profile for how we play,” Mastroianni said. “For us to be off that long and get a win was big.”

For the Quakers, starting the second half of their section schedule with a win was big. They’ll have the opportunity to face-off with Blackhawk and Ambridge again as the season wears on, but for now, the Quakers are focused on taking care of one game at a time.

By: Joe Sager
Friday, January 11, 2019 | 8:24 PM

Ryan Stowers can take on many roles for Quaker Valley’s boys basketball team.

Most nights, the 6-foot-5 senior guard is lofting shots from long distance or driving to the hoop for an easy bucket to the tune of 23.1 points per game.

However, he added more dimensions to his game this season.

“I’ve worked on my rebounding and just being more aggressive,” he said. “Last year, I would shoot too many times when I first had the ball. Now, if my shot is not falling in, I can get to the hoop or count on my teammates to pick up the load, and I can pick it up later in the game. I wanted to work on my passing, too.”

With Stowers, who is second on the team in rebounding (5.6 per game) and near the top in assists, the Quakers have powered to a 10-0 start.

“He has done so many things right to put himself in a position to be successful, and that’s helped the team, as well,” Quaker Valley coach Mike Mastroianni said. “He’s taken on additional roles for us at a high level, too. He could be our defensive stopper and big rebounder if we need him to be. He committed himself much more to leadership, and I’m extremely pleased with how far he has come on that side.”

Filling up the hoop is his specialty, though. That’s big for the team, especially with the graduation of Coletrane Washington, who led last year’s team at 21.5 ppg. Stowers averaged 15.7 points last year.

“I definitely want to carry more of the load, scoring-wise. My teammates are working to get me the best shot possible and passing to me at the right times,” Stowers said.

He turned his offense up a notch with 36 points in a 64-46 win over West Allegheny and 33 in a key 67-48 win at New Castle in WPIAL Section 4-2A play. Quaker Valley fell to New Castle in the last two WPIAL title games.

“That was a nice win,” Stowers said. “We were trying to make a statement from last year. Losing Coletrane, maybe teams might have thought we were a little weaker. I don’t think that’s the case at all.”

The Quakers have balance, and Stowers knows he doesn’t have to carry the offensive load. Danny Conlan (15.6) and Adou Thiero (10.2) average in double figures.

“Everybody is pitching in. It’s not just one guy scoring. If one man is down, it’s the next man up. That’s our mentality,” Stowers said. “I really want to be the best leader possible. You can never be too good, so I am always working on it.”

He has plenty of company in the leadership department, too. Quaker Valley has six other seniors in Jackson Zernich, Christian Johnston, Quinn Hill, Kyle Wolf, Isaac Guss and Conlan.

“The key for us has been our entire group of seniors,” Mastroianni said. “They are a dedicated group. Their approach to practice and getting better is very impressive. Winning is a direct result of all that.”

Even though Quaker Valley won its first four section games, the Quakers know winning a title won’t come easy.

“I am happy with what we’ve done so far, but we’re not anywhere near finished yet,” Stowers said. “I think we’ve molded together real well. We know our strengths and weaknesses. It’s been a ton of fun. Practices have been fun. The chemistry has been great. It’s been great to be on a successful team with a bunch of my friends.”

By Greg Macafee / gmacafee@timesonline.com

Posted Jan 11, 2019 at 9:32 PMUpdated Jan 12, 2019 at 2:40 PM

The Cougars had lost three straight entering upset win

CHIPPEWA TWP. – Throughout this season the Blackhawk boys basketball team has been no stranger to close games. In their first 11 games, the Cougars had four decided by five points or less and, on all four occasions, they came out on the losing end.

But on Friday night, head coach Brooks Roorback and his team finally had one fall their way as they knocked off undefeated Quaker Valley, 70-69, in a nail-biting overtime thriller.

“It was a momentum shifting performance by our players,” Roorback said. “We keep telling them that we believe in them, trying to keep that positivity when you are losing a lot of close games, which is hard with high school kids. But they kept fighting and we needed this one for our belief moving forward.”

Some teams may have backed down from the Quakers, who were 10-0 and have showcased the top defense in the WPIAL this season by only allowing an average of 43 points per game. But, the Cougars never showed that fear on Friday night and came out strong from the first whistle.

After tying the game at nine around the midway point of the first quarter, Blackhawk went on a 12-0 run and took a 10-point lead into the second.

“We came out and wanted to make a statement,” senior guard Sammy Fusetti said. “We had no pressure on us. We knew they were one of the top teams in the state, and we just got it done.”

Throughout the first half, junior forward, James Darno, who finished with 19 points on the night and, along with Fusetti, became just the third and fourth players to score 15 or more points against the Quakers this season, led the Cougars. He provided a solid inside presence and cashed in at the free throw line, going 5 of 6 in the first half.

The Quakers slowly crept back into the game and cut Blackhawk’s lead to just three points at the halftime break. But Quaker Valley, who in the past few seasons has been known for their offensive prowess, never seemed comfortable on the offensive end.

Earlier this season, Roorback saw Quaker Valley play Central Valley and the Warriors threw a 3-2 zone at the Quakers, so Roorback decided to give his zone a little wrinkle on Friday night.

“What they do is they have very good shooters, so they were relying primarily on the perimeter,” Roorback said. “So we just told our guys on the perimeter to just extend it out and not focus on the high post or the guy on the block as much as just take away the shooters, and it worked out for us tonight.”

Quaker Valley hit seven three-point shots in the game and a few of them kept the game close throughout the second half. But as it came down to the wire, none of them were as big as Ryan Stowers’ final three-point attempt.

With a two-point lead and just over eight-seconds remaining on the clock, Blackhawk’s Ryan Heckathorn gave the Cougars a three-point cushion when he hit one of two free throws at the line. But, the Quakers inbounded the ball, got the ball to Stowers, and the 6-foot-5 forward who finished with 36 points on the night pulled up from about 28-feet to send the game into overtime.

“That was a heartbreaker, not going to lie,” Fusetti said. “But we knew we were beating them the whole game, we could go one more quarter.”

That’s exactly what the Cougars would end up doing. Even after the Quakers held the ball for the first two minutes of the extra period, they were able to put together a few quick buckets and cash in at the free throw line to secure their fourth victory of the season.

“This is one of the best feelings in the world,” Fusetti said after the game. “Winning a game like this, with all of my brothers that I’ve been playing with for so long, just feels so good.”

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, January 4, 2019 | 10:33 PM

This matchup with New Castle wasn’t at Petersen Events Center or for the WPIAL title, but the win was important for Quaker Valley nonetheless.

“This is one of the games we’ve been looking forward to this whole season,” said senior Ryan Stowers, whose 33 points carried Quaker Valley to a 67-48 victory Friday night at New Castle. “Last year we lost to them in a heartbreaking loss in the WPIAL championship. We just put that behind us and … made a statement that we’re not the same team as last year.”

The win bolsters top-ranked Quaker Valley’s status as the early favorite in Section 2 and WPIAL Class 4A overall. New Castle (7-2, 2-1) is ranked second. But when the section rivals met last March in the WPIAL finals, New Castle pulled the upset and won 57-52.

“We all hate to lose,” Stowers said. “We had a perfect season up until then and we lose that game. So, yeah, that definitely had something to do with today.”

Stowers’ determination showed.

The 6-foot-5 guard is a 41-percent shooter from 3-point range, but instead he scored almost all of his points Friday around the rim including a breakaway dunk in the final seconds. He missed his one 3-point attempt, but finished 13 for 23 from the field.

“He’s probably one of the best 3-point shooters WPIAL-wise,” Quaker Valley coach Mike Mastroianni said, “but he plays like a senior. When you’re older, you get to the rim. When the rim presents itself, you take the rim, and Ryan’s doing that much better.”

Dan Conlan added 13 points for Quaker Valley (9-0, 2-0), and freshman Adou Thiero had 10.

Mike Wells led New Castle with 14 points, and Sheldon Cox added 10.

“We would have loved to play better basketball tonight but credit Quaker Valley,” New Castle coach Ralph Blundo said. “They have probably the top two players in (Class) 4A on one team returning with great experience. So I’d say the expectation for them should be high.”

Quaker Valley seized control with a strong second half.

The Quakers led 33-29 at half after two late layups by Stowers, and then outscored New Castle 19-6 in the third quarter. QV changed defenses from a 3-2 zone to a 2-3 — to protect the paint — and watched New Castle’s shooters make just 2 of 16 shots in the quarter.

“They were getting a lot of boards and getting to the hoop a lot in the first half, so we sagged off more and let them shoot,” Stowers said. “They weren’t hitting shots today.”

In all, New Castle made only 5 of 35 attempts from the 3-point arc.

New Castle’s misses sparked Quaker Valley’s transition offense. Stowers scored 10 points in the third and pushed the Quakers’ lead to 14 points with consecutive layups midway through the quarter — the second basket on an alley oop from Thiero.

A 13-3 run gave the Quakers a 46-32 lead.

“I don’t think that our guys responded with the type of fight at that point that we’re accustomed to,” Blundo said. “I have to look at myself and say, ‘OK, why weren’t we better coming out in the third quarter?’ We just gave them too many easy ones. I didn’t like our response, but this is a very young group.”

New Castle graduated its top seven players from last year’s championship lineup. The Red Hurricanes leaned heavily at times Friday on two freshmen and a sophomore.

The teams were tied 15-15 after one quarter and New Castle led 28-27 with 1:20 left in the first half. But from that point, Quaker Valley outscored New Castle, 40-20.

“I thought we were a little anxious early in the game,” Mastroianni said. “Coming up on New Castle’s court is a new experience for some of our starters, but I thought we settled in pretty well.”

By: Tribune-Review
Monday, January 7, 2019 | 3:51 PM

The first edition of the TribLive High School Sports Network’s PIAA boys basketball rankings for 2019 has added a WPIAL team, bumping from five to six District 7 squads.

Joining Mars, Quaker Valley, Lincoln Park, Sewickley Academy and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart among the state elite is undefeated Moon in Class 5A.

Four No. 1 teams remained atop the rankings while two changes at the top took place as York William Penn passed Mastery Charter North in Class 5A, and Lincoln Park took over the top spot in Class 3A from Camp Hill Trinity.

Here is the PIAA Top Five in each of the six classifications for the week of Jan. 7.

Class 6A

Team, record, previous

1. Roman Catholic, 8-3, 1

2. Kennedy Catholic, 5-3, 2

3. LaSalle College, 12-0, 3

4. Norristown, 10-1, 5

5. Abington, 8-1, NR

Out: Emmaus

Class 5A

1. York William Penn, 8-0, 2

2. Mastery Charter North, 7-1, 1

3. Mars, 9-1, 4

4. Archbishop Wood, 8-2, 3

5. Moon, 10-0, NR

Out: Sun Valley

Class 4A

1. Imhotep Charter, 7-2, 1

2. Quaker Valley, 9-0, 5

3. Monsignor Bonner/Archbishop Prendergast, 9-1, 4

4. Bethlehem Catholic, 8-2, NR

5. Scranton Prep, 8-1, NR

Out: Berks Catholic, Nanticoke

Class 3A

1. Lincoln Park, 8-1, 2

2. Loyalsock Township, 8-1, 3

3. Neumann-Goretti, 7-2, 4

4. Wyncote Bishop McDevitt, 10-1, 5

5. Camp Hill Trinity, 7-2, 1

Out: None

Class 2A

1. Constitution, 6-6, 1

2. Sewickley Academy, 5-3, 2

3. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 9-1, 3

4. Moravian Academy, 9-0, 4

5. Math, Civics & Sciences, 9-3, 5

Out: None

Class A

1. Our Lady of Lourdes Regional, 9-3, 1

2. Sankofa Freedom, 7-5, 2

3. Elk County Catholic, 9-0, NR

4. Shanksville Stonycreek, 9-1, 4

5. Lancaster Country Day, 7-1, 5

Out: Halifax

By Greg Macafee / gmacafee@timesonline.com

Posted Dec 17, 2018 at 7:00 PM

LEETSDALE — When the Quaker Valley boys basketball team made a run to the PIAA state semifinals last season, the Quakers won games in a myriad of ways, especially late in the season.

They relied on senior guard Coletrane Washington as their primary scorer. But as the season progressed, teams started to focus on Washington with double teams and defensive traps. So other players had to step up.

One of those players was junior Danny Conlan. Late in the season, he scored crucial points in their PIAA second-round victory over Hickory. Then, he scored 26 points in an 89-53 victory over Huntingdon in the PIAA quarterfinals.

With Washington now graduated, that trend has continued into Conlan’s senior season. The Quakers are 4-0, and Conlan has averaged 18.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. This past week, the 6-foot-5 forward turned in a career-high 30-point performance in a 63-39 victory over Albert Gallatin and then scored 14 points in a 61-54 win over Wilmington three days later.

For his efforts, Conlan has been named this week’s Beaver County Times Boys Athlete of the Week.

“It felt good,” Conlan said. “I think it helps all of us because we all know what we need to do, where we are thin, how we can score and plus we had two starters out that night, so we kind of had to rearrange and change some stuff and it turned out pretty well.”

Conlan has always showed signs of his ability to put the ball in the basket. As a sophomore, he scored 25 or more points on three occasions, and last year he did it twice. Head coach Mike Mastroianni knows that Conlan has the ability to score, but Conlan also has benefited from the type of roles he’s had to play on a year-to-year basis.

“He’s been a scorer for us since he’s been younger, but we’ve had very good older guards bringing the ball to him,” Mastroianni said. “He has a little bit of a different role this year scoring wise. He just has to score differently now because we need him to do multiple things this year and he’s doing it really well.”

While Conlan will look to get his points within the flow of the game, his head coach also is looking for him to have a major presence in the paint and on the offensive and defensive boards. His past two performances were great examples of exactly what Mastroianni is looking for.

During Quaker Valley’s win over Albert Gallatin, Conlan turned in his first double-double of the season, grabbing 10 rebounds to go with 30 points. Then, against Wilmington, he grabbed six rebounds, including four on the offensive end.

“Those kinds of numbers are what we need from him, those numbers are great,” Mastroianni said.

It’s early in the season, but Conlan already has started to impress even though his role has grown from a year ago. But from the way he looks at it, it doesn’t matter what he’s asked to do he just wants to help his team stack victories.

“There’s a lot more on my plate I’d say,” Conlan said. “I’m going to have to handle the ball more, guard a different variety of guys, just do whatever it takes to help our team win.”

By Mike Bires 
@mikebires

Posted Dec 5, 2018 at 7:51 PMUpdated Dec 5, 2018 at 7:53 PM

ALIQUIPPA

Coach: Dwight Hines, third season.

Last year: 17-8, 8-2 in Section 1, 3A; advanced to WPIAL semifinals; lost in first round of state playoffs.

Top returners: Senior point guard Dewayne Revis and the three top scorers in senior guards Will Gipson and MJ Devonshire and 6-foot-4 junior power forward Zuriah Fisher. Gipson led the Quips last year at 13.4 points per game while Devonshire was right behind at 12 ppg.

Newcomers of note: Larry Walker, a 6-1 senior guard, missed most of his junior year of basketball with an ankle injury he suffered while playing for the Quips’ football team. The same can be said for senior guard Eli Kosanovich, who missed a portion of basketball season with a leg injury sustained while playing football.

Outlook: This season, the Quips might have a team that can challenge Lincoln Park for the section title. Of course, it may take some time for Aliquippa to find its groove. Of the 19 players on the roster, 16 play football. They’ll all be in Hershey on Saturday when the Quips play in the 3A state football final. Two days later, the Quips’ basketball team plays its first game at Blackhawk.

“We could be good,” Hines said. “We have a lot of experience. For most of our guys, their mindset is football right now. That’s great. That’s what we expect at Aliquippa. So they’ll to get into basketball shape while playing our games in December.”

AMBRIDGE

Coach: Mark Jula, seventh season with Ambridge (38th overall as a head coach).

Last year: 13-10, 8-6 in Section 2, 4A; advanced to WPIAL quarterfinals.

Top returners: The Bridgers return two starters in 6-5 senior guard/forward Aaron Hilzendeger and 6-6 junior forward Liam Buck. Last year, Hilzendeger led the Bridgers in scoring at 19.2 ppg.

Newcomers of note: Last year as a 6-5 freshman, Enira Bowens hardly played. Now, at 6-7 and still growing, he’ll probably start for the Bridgers. Last year as a junior guard, Ante Cvitkovic got limited varsity minutes, but he will get more this year, possibly as the starting point guard.

Outlook: The key will be finding replacements for graduated guards Tay Lindsey and Monterey Carpenter. Along with Cvitkovic, 6-3 junior guard Isaiah Thomas figures to round out the starting lineup. Another key will be the development of Buck and Bowens. Buck is a volleyball star who went out for basketball for the first time last year. With all-star caliber player like Hilzendeger, size and a veteran coach like Jula, the Bridgers have intriguing potential.

BEAVER

Coach: Greg Cercone, first season (eighth overall as a head coach).

Last year: 5-16, 3-11 in Section 2, 4A.

Top returners: The Bobcats return four players who were either full-time or part-time starters: senior guard Peter Kazas, 6-3 senior guard Mason Rose, 6-4 senior guard Mike Champ and 6-3 junior forward Beckett Connelly.

Newcomers of note: Brodie List, a 6-4 senior forward who played quarterback/safety on Beaver’s football team, has decided to play basketball again. He was on the team as a sophomore but opted not to play last year.

Outlook: Cercone likes what he sees so far. For starters, Beaver has 22 players on its varsity and junior varsity rosters. The Bobcats have decent size across the board. In a strong section that includes New Castle and Quaker Valley — they’ve played in the last two WPIAL 4A finals — Beaver could contend for one of the section’s four playoff spots.

“The potential is there,” said Cercone, who’s had previous head coaching stints at Quigley Catholic and Freedom. “I like this team. It’s a great bunch of kids.”

BEAVER FALLS

Coach: Carliss Jeter, second season.

Last year: 6-15, 6-8 in Section 2, 4A.

Top returners: The Tigers return two starters in senior guards Cage McKelvey and Jalen Vaughn.

Newcomers of note: Among a talented group of sophomores are 6-6 center Camden Glass and 6-4 forward Kai Hauser.

Outlook: Not only did Beaver Falls lose point guard Torian Leak to graduation, two other starters won’t be back. Javontae Jones, a 6-3 junior forward, is now living in Cleveland. Noah Vaughn, a 6-4 junior swingman, will miss the season after suffering a knee injury while playing football. So Beaver Falls will be a young squad that’s in rebuilding mode. Last year in Jeter’s first year as coach, BF missed the playoffs while playing in Class 4A. But after dropping down to 3A this year, the Tigers still have enough to talent to at least make the playoffs by finishing third or fourth in its new section that includes Lincoln Park and Aliquippa.

BLACKHAWK

Coach: Brooks Roorback, fourth season.

Last year: 8-14, 4-10 in Section 2, 4A.

Top returners: The Cougars returns three starters: senior guards Sammy Fusetti and Carmen Campagna and 6-3 junior forward Ryan Heckathorn.

Newcomers of note: Rounding out the projected starting lineup will be junior point guard Marco Borello and 6-3 junior forward James Darno.

Outlook: Roorback believes he has a “very tough, scrappy team looking to make some noise in WPIAL 4A.” He’s hoping that there’s some carryover from Blackhawk’s football team that finished 10-2 this season under first-year coach Zack Hayward. Four starters on the basketball team -- Fusetti, Campagna, Heckathorn and Darno -- were major contributors in football.

CENTRAL VALLEY

Coach: Brandon Ambrose, ninth season (14th overall as a head coach).

Last year: 14-8, 10-4 in Section 2, 4A; lost in first round of WPIAL playoffs.

Top returners: Central Valley graduated all five starters from last year and returns just three lettermen: sophomore guard Brandon Graham and junior guards Chase Morrison and Jawon Hall.

Newcomers of note: As many as 11 other players on the roster will be vying for playing time. Among them are Justin Pile-Thompson, a 6-3 sophomore forward who played and 6-0 sophomore guard Ameer Dudley.

Outlook: In the eight years since the Center/Monaca merger, Central Valley averaged 15 wins per season, qualified for the playoffs eight times and won the WPIAL 3A title in 2014. But this year, coach Brandon Ambrose takes on his toughest challenge. Gone from last year’s team are seven seniors, including five who started.

CORNELL

Coach: Bill Sacco, 17th season, (37th overall as a head coach).

Last year: 18-8, 8-4 in Section 1, 1A; advanced to WPIAL semifinals; lost in first round of state playoffs.

Top returners: The starting lineup includes three juniors who’ve been starters since they were freshmen: guards Kaden DiVito and Zaier Harrison, and 6-1 junior forward Isaiah Langston.

Newcomers of note: After sitting out the past two years, junior guard Blaine Sams has decided to play basketball again.

Outlook: With no one in the rotation taller than 6-1, the Raiders are almost a team of all guards. But this nucleus that features DiVito, Harrison and Langston has gone 18-6 in each of the past two seasons.

“We’re not going to sneak up on anybody like we have the past two years,” Sacco said. “Now these kids kind of have a bull’s eye on their backs. But that’s OK. We’ll be OK. These kids just like the game. They do the best they can.”

ELLWOOD CITY

Coach: Steve Antuono, third season.

Last year: 14-9, 5-5 in Section 1, 3A; lost in first round of WPIAL playoffs.

Top returners: The Wolverines return two starters, senior guards Brock Boariu and Richard Pitrelli.

Newcomers of note: A pair of freshmen guards — Steve Antuono Jr., the coach’s son, and Milo Sesti — project as possible starters or at least regulars in the rotation.

Outlook: “We are very young and very small. No size,” said Antuono. “Boariu and Pitrelli are the only guys on the roster with significant playing time. So this will be a challenging year for us.”

FREEDOM

Coach: Jeff Griffith, second season.

Last year: 2-20, 1-9 section in Section 2, 3A.

Key returners: Four Bulldogs who were either full-time starters or got plenty of playing time are back. They include senior guard Steve Leasure; junior guards Tyler Borgman and Tyler Mohrbacher, who led Freedom in scoring last year (10.8 ppg); and sophomore forward Cole Beck.

Newcomers of note: The fifth starting job and the top two players off the bench figure to be Noah Yeck, a 6-1 senior forward, junior forward Brian Hill and 6-2 sophomore guard Reiker Welling.

Outlook: Given Freedom’s basketball history — the Bulldogs haven’t made the playoffs since 2002 and have gone just 3-81 in conference play the past seven years — Griffith has modest goals. “We are just looking to improve on last year,” he said. “We have some tough kids who play hard.”

HOPEWELL

Coach: Drew Falletta, first season.

Last year: 4-17, 0-14 in Section 2, 4A.

Key returners: Three starters are back: senior guard Josh Miklos, and junior guards Jake McGovern and Enzo Palumbo.

Newcomers of note: Three freshmen could wind up working their way into the rotation: guard Anthony LaSala, 6-2 forward Couper Stala and 6-4 forward Nickolas Kristian, the tallest player on the roster.

Outlook: The last time Hopewell won a playoff game was in 2008, when Drew Falletta was a junior forward. He’s now the Vikings’ third coach in the past eight years and, in his first season on the job, has quite a challenge on his hands. Hopewell has had eight straight losing seasons and has gone 0-48 in section play dating back to January of 2015. That’s the longest such streak in the WPIAL.

LINCOLN PARK

Coach: Mike Bariski, fourth season.

Last year: 20-7, 10-0 in Section 1, 3A; won the WPIAL 3A title; advanced to second round of state playoffs.

Top returners: Three starters are back: senior guard Keeno Holmes, who was second-team all-state last year; Andre Wilder, a 6-3 junior forward; and Tanner Mathos, a 6-6 junior forward. Holmes has scored 1,133 points in his career so far.

Newcomers of note: Isaiah Smith, a junior guard who was third-team Class 2A all-state last year, transferred in from Sewickley Academy. Also, junior guard Johnny Bryant transferred in from Nazarene Prep (formerly Holy Family Academy) while 6-3 forward transferred in from Clairton.

Outlook: In the first 11 years of its existence, Lincoln Park has won three WPIAL championships. With two all-state guards, size and depth, the Leopards could very well win a fourth this season. They’ve won 76 straight games in section play dating back to a loss to Rochester on Feb. 11, 2011.

MOON

Coach: Adam Kaufman, fifth season (12th overall as a head coach).

Section: 2-5A.

Last year: 18-6, 9-3 in Section 2, 5A; advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Top returners: The Tigers return all five starters from last year: senior guards Jioni Smith, Conner Ryan, Austin Ryan and Taru Jones and senior forward Brady Sunday.

Newcomer of note: Donovan Johnson, a 6-6 junior guard who was second-team Class 2A all-state last year when he played at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Outlook: With the addition of Johnson, Moon will be among the contenders for the WPIAL 5A title.

NEW BRIGHTON

Coach: Sean Keaton, second season.

Last year: 4-15, 1-9 in Section 1, 3A.

Top returners: The Lions return six players who were either full or part-time starters. They are Chris Gerello and Payne Jackson, a pair of 6-5 senior forwards; senior guards Thomas Kirby and Zac Cook; and sophomore guards JoJo Reynolds and Jamison Ahmed, who’s 6-2.

Newcomers of note: Among the candidates for reserve duty are freshmen guards Aaron Elliott and Gabe Haddox.

Outlook: It’s been nine years since New Brighton last qualified for the playoffs. But despite a last place finish in the section last year, the Lions could contend this year.

“I think we can make the playoffs,” said Keaton, a New Brighton grad who played for the Lions when they lost in WPIAL championship games in 1989 and ’90. “We’re going to have to bring it every night. But I think we can be one of the four teams (from our section) that make the playoffs.”

OLSH

Coach: Mike Rodriguez, 11th season.

Last year: 26-4, 13-1 in Section 3, 2A; lost to Sewickley Academy in WPIAL final; advanced to state championship game.

Top returners: Four starters are back: senior guards Daren DiMichele and Austin Wigley; 6-3 senior forward Rico Tate; and sophomore guard Dante Spadafora. Last year, Wigley earned second-team all-state honors while Spadafora was third-team all-state.

Newcomers of note: Michael Dugan, a 6-2 senior forward, was one of the first subs off the bench last. But this year, he’ll likely be the fifth starter.

Outlook: If not for two transfers — 6-6 junior guard Donovan Johnson to Moon, 6-4 junior forward Alex Boyden to Montour — OLSH would have been the favorite to win the WPIAL 2A title. The Chargers also lost senior forward Noah Campalong, who broke his leg while playing in the WPIAL 1A football championship game. Still, the Chargers have plenty of talent and project as a WPIAL title contender.

“We will start slow because of the extended fall sports season and hopefully improve with every game,” Rodriquez said.

QUAKER VALLEY

Coach: Mike Mastroianni, 12th season (24th overall as a head coach).

Last year: 26-2, 14-0 in Section 2, 4A; lost to New Castle in WPIAL championship game; advanced to state semifinals.

Top returners: Two starters are back for their senior seasons: 6-5 guard Ryan Stowers and 6-5 forward Danny Conlan. They averaged 15.7 and 14.6 ppg, respectively.

Newcomers of note: Adou Thiero, a 5-11 guard who projects as one of the WPIAL’s best freshmen. Jonathan Weir, a 6-5 junior forward, transferred in from Seton-La Salle.

Outlook: The Quakers lost all-star guard Coletrane Washington via graduation. He’s now playing at Drexel. Still, they’re one of the favorites to win the WPIAL 4A title. They have talent, size and depth. In Mastroianni, they have a coach who’s won WPIAL titles with two different teams (Quaker Valley in 1997 and Bethel Park in 2007). Over the past two years, QV has won 51 games. That ties 6A Pine-Richland for most wins in the WPIAL during that span.

“Our section once again will be highly competitive,” Mastroianni said. “We look to be competitive and fight for a playoff position.”

QUIGLEY CATHOLIC

Coach: Chris Visgitis, first season.

Last year: 4-17, 1-11 in Section 1, 1A.

Top returners: The Spartans return two starters: 6-2 senior forward DJ Summers and junior guard Steve Salak.

Newcomers of note: Rounding out the starting lineup will be junior guards Mario Johns and Lucci, and 6-0 sophomore forward Alex Tomsic.

Outlook: Quigley has one of the smallest enrollments among 22 Class 1A basketball programs in the WPIAL. Still, the Spartans still have 17 boys who want to play. They’re coming off a four-win season and haven’t been to the playoffs since 2013. But Visgitis likes the Spartans’ approach so far in the preseason.

“This varsity group has a good mixture of players with varsity experience and a young group with a high level of potential,” he said. “It will be a rebuilding effort coming off of a four-win season, but I’m hoping to build a confident, competitive program as the season progresses.”

RIVERSIDE

Coach: John Rorick, 21st season.

Last year: 13-10, 4-6 in Section 1, 3A; advanced to WPIAL quarterfinals.

Top returners: Senior guard Brian McMurdo is the Panthers’ only returning starter.

Newcomers of note: Joining McMurdo in the starting lineup with will be senior guard Danny Zelch, junior guard Nathan Sciarro, and 6-2 junior forwards Ben Hughes and Liam Grinnen.

Outlook: The Panthers will be trying to make the playoffs for the seventh time in the last eight years.

“Our section is brutal,” Rorick said. “So what I keep telling everyone is that the only thing we can control is us working hard and trying to get better with every practice and every game.”

ROCHESTER

Coach: Steve LaVette, first season.

Last year: 10-10, 4-8 in Section 1, 1A.

Top returners: The Rams return two starters in senior point guard Noah Whiteleather and senior forward Darius Goosby.

Newcomers of note: Vying for spots in the starting lineup are senior guard Duke Dah’vell, junior guard Glenn Haskins and senior forward Tyreek Sherod.

Outlook: Since 2011 when Rochester went 19-4, the Rams have struggled to win consistently, with only one winning season and two playoff appearances.

“We’re trying to get it back,” said LaVette, who’s been an assistant football coach at Rochester the past 17 years and an assistant basketball coach the past six. “The expectations are high.”

SEWICKLEY ACADEMY

Coach: Win Palmer, 19th season.

Section: 3-2A.

Last year: 24-5, 13-1 in Section 3, 2A; won the WPIAL championship and advanced to state semifinals.

Top returners: Two starters are back from last year: Nate Ridgeway, a 6-5 senior forward who was named second-team all-state last year; and 6-5 junior guard Isiah Warfield, who was first-team all-state.

Newcomers of note: The Panthers welcome back senior guard John Delvecchio, an all-section baseball player who didn’t play last year. Another newcomer to the program is 6-2 senior forward Rees Blaylock.

Outlook: Sewickley Academy lost two of its top players from last year via transfer. Junior guard Isaiah Smith, who was third-team all-state, is now playing at Lincoln Park. Junior guard Jett Roesing transferred to First Love Christian Academy in Washington, Pa. Still, Palmer believes the Panthers will be championship contenders in Class 2A.

“With two all-state players in the lineup, we will have a dynamic team,” he said. “We will play eight or nine players, all of whom will be asked to play pressure defense and run the floor efficiently to continue our trend as one of the highest scoring teams in western Pa.”

SOUTH SIDE

Coach: Robert Harrison, eighth season.

Last year: 9-13, 8-4 in Section 4, 3A; lost in first round of WPIAL playoffs.

Top returners: The Rams return all five starters: senior guards Nate Statler, Trevor Roach and Jake McDougal; senior forward Logan English; and 6-4 junior forward Brandon Barber.

Newcomers of note: Providing depth will be senior forward Dan Hickman and 6-3 junior forward Trent Seik.

Outlook: “We have everyone back from last season and will be looking for senior leadership,” Harrison said. “Last season, we got a taste of playoff basketball and the boys want to get back and get the first playoff win in school history.”

WEST ALLEGHENY

Coach: Andrew Tsangaris, 2nd season.

Last year: 11-12, 7-5 in Section 2, 5A; advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Top returners: The Indians return two starters in senior guard Drevon Baldwin and junior guard Jackson Faulk.

Newcomers of note: Other probable starters include Evan Blunkosky, a 6-3 senior guard, and 6-6 senior forward Zach Logan.

Outlook: Last year in his first season as coach, Tsangaris engineered a dramatic turnaround. After inheriting a team that went 1-21 overall and 0-12 in section play, he guided West Allegheny into the playoffs with a 7-5 third-place finish in the section. Tsangaris has sparked interest in West A. hoops. For the second straight year, the Indians have 23 players on their roster. And on that roster are enough talented athletes to make it back to the playoffs.

WESTERN BEAVER

Coach: Dave Kotuby, fourth season.

Last year: 6-15, 1-11 section in Section 1, 1A.

Top returners: The Golden Beavers return three starters: senior guard Grant Martin, junior guard Noah Gray and Ty Hawkins, a 6-5, 240-pound center.

Newcomers of note: Other Golden Beavers competing for a starting job are freshman guard Thad Gray and Zach Altenbaugh, a 6-0 senior forward.

Outlook: Since last making the playoffs in 2014, Western Beaver has struggled, going 5-43 in section games. For the Golden Beavers to contend for a playoff spot this year, they’ll need some of the younger players on the roster to develop quickly. It’s a young squad with three seniors, five juniors, five sophomores and six freshmen.