2014-2015 MSA SPORTS BOYS ALL-NETTERS

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 20, 2015 | 11:07 PM

If there would be a catch phrase that would describe the boys All-Netters team, it would be “On Guard.” The All-Netters team is made up of the top 10 players in the WPIAL, as selected by the MSA Sports staff. This year’s first team is made up of five guards. The second team has three guards.

Nine seniors make up this year’s team. The only two Division I college signees in the WPIAL this year also are on the team.

Here is a look at the All-Netters teams as well as the Player of the Year.

FIRST TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Matty McConnell, Chartiers Valley
6-1, Sr., G

Five years after his brother tortured opponents in the WPIAL, Matty McConnell did the same thing.

Matty McConnell had a terrific senior season. He led the WPIAL in scoring at 29.5 points a game. But he did much, much more in leading the Colts to the WPIAL AAAA championship. He averaged 9.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 4.9 steals. He shot 57 percent from the field and had 64 3-pointers. He tied a school record with 54 points in one game against Bethel Park.

McConnell, who played for his father, Tim, finished his career with 2,018 points. He will stay home to play college basketball. He signed with Robert Morris in November.

Kason Harrell, Hempfield
6-3, Sr., G

Harrell was a starter for Hempfield since his freshman year and scored well over 1,000 points. He played for three difference coaches in four seasons and excelled under every coach. This season, Harrell averaged 25.2 points a game for a Hempfield team that tied for the Class AAAA Section 1 title.

Harrell will play next season at Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne (IPFW), a Division I school in Indiana.

Jonny David, Mount Lebanon
6-2, Sr., G

Playing for his father, Joe, Jonny was one of the best shooters in WPIAL Class AAAA. He averaged 18.5 points a game for a Mount Lebanon team that tied for the Section 4 championship. David was a “Colt” killer. He beat the Chartiers Valley Colts in the regular season with a 3-pointer at the end of the third overtime, and he also beat Chartiers Valley with a layup at the buzzer in the PIAA playoffs.

David has decided to accept an invitation to join the University of Kentucky team next year as a walk-on.

Stephon McGinnis, Aliquippa
5-9, Sr., G

McGinnis transferred from Ambridge to Aliquippa in football season, but he really made a gigantic impact on Aliquippa’s basketball team. McGinnis is averaging 17 points a game heading into Saturday’s Class AA state championship game.

A smallish guard, McGinnis has hurt teams with drives to the basket and also outside shooting. He averaged 20 points a game last year at Ambridge.

Julian Batts, Jeannette
6-0, Sr., G

Batts is one of three players on the first team who played for their father. Adrian Batts was Jeannette’s head coach.

The son rose this year to average 22.4 points a game for a team that made it to the WPIAL Class A championship before losing to Monessen. Julian finished his career as the second-leading scorer in Jeannette history with 1,768 points. He also was quarterback of the football team.

SECOND TEAM

Cole Constantino, North Allegheny
6-2, Sr., G

Things were Cole for North Allegheny this season. A senior guard, Constantino led North Allegheny to the WPIAL title game for only the third time in school history. He was one of the leading scorers in the WPIAL with an average of 23.4 points a game. He was an excellent 3-point shooter, but also had the ability to score off drives.

Riley Stapleton, Indiana
6-5, Sr., F

Playing on a well-balanced offensive team, Stapleton stood out with his athletic ability and versatility. He helped Indiana win the first WPIAL title in school history. Stapleton averaged 13.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 2.0 assists. He also shot 56 percent from the field. Stapleton had committed to IUP for basketball last summer. But he changed his mind and signed with James Madison for football.

Ryan Norkus, Seton-LaSalle
6-3, Sr., F

Seton-LaSalle made it to the WPIAL Class AA final two years in a row, and Norkus was a starter on both teams. Norkus was a physical player on the inside who averaged 18.1 points a game for the Rebels.

Nelly Cummings, Lincoln Park
5-11, Soph., G

Cummings is only a sophomore, but has some Division I colleges interested in him. He was a starter as a freshman last year on a team that won WPIAL and PIAA Class A titles. This season, he was one of the leading scorers in the WPIAL at 23.5 points a game.

Dane Jackson, Cornell
6-0, Sr., G

Action Jackson was the second-leading scorer in the WPIAL this season, averaging 28 points a game. He scored 51 in one contest and helped Cornell reach the WPIAL Class A playoffs. Jackson was one of the best two-sport athletes in the WPIAL. He will play football at Pitt.

Tags: Aliquippa, Chartiers Valley, Cornell, Hempfield, Indiana, Jeannette, Lincoln Park