2023 all-state boys basketball team includes 29 WPIAL players
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Wednesday, May 3, 2023 | 3:00 PM
Steel Valley’s Makhai Valentine dunks over Deer Lakes’ Bryce Robson during their WPIAL Class 3A semifinal on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, at Bethel Park.
Neighborhood Academy’s John Wilkins defends on Aquinas Academy’s Vinnie Cugini Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023 at The Neighborhood Academy.
Lincoln Park’s Dontay Green soaks head coach Mike Bariski with the water cooler after defeating Neumann-Goretti in the PIAA Class 4A state championship game on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at Giant Center in Hershey.
Aquinas Academy’s Vinnie Cugini hugs his mother after breaking the all-time boys WPIAL scoring record in January.
Aquinas Academy’s Vinnie Cugini with a hug from his mother after breaking the all-time boys WPIAL scoring record against the Neighborhood Academy Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023 at The Neighborhood Academy.
Aquinas Academy’s Vinnie Cugini and Steel Valley’s Makhai Valentine earned all-state player of the year honors Wednesday as two of the most prolific scorers in WPIAL boys basketball.
Cugini, who averaged 43.7 points and broke the WPIAL record for career points, was chosen as the player of the year in PIAA Class A. Valentine, who averaged 33.7 points, was voted the top player in 3A. The all-state teams were chosen by a statewide vote of sports writers.
Lincoln Park coach Mike Bariski, who led the Leopards (30-1) to WPIAL and PIAA titles, was named coach of the year in Class 4A.
In all, 29 WPIAL athletes were all-state, including 10 who made the first team. Along with Cugini and Valentine, the other first-team picks were North Hills’ Royce Parham, Lincoln Park’s Brandin Cummings and Meleek Thomas, Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher, Bishop Canevin’s Shea Champine, Aliquippa’s Cameron Lindsey, Imani Christian’s Alier Maluk and Geibel Catholic’s Jaydis Kennedy.
Making the second team were Penn Hills’ Daemar Kelly, Mars’ Tasso Sfanos, North Catholic’s Max Hurray, South Allegheny’s Bryce Epps, Laurel Highlands’ Keondre DeShields, Seton LaSalle’s Connor Spratt, Deer Lakes’ Bryce Robson, Ellwood City’s Joseph Roth, Leechburg’s Marcus Cleveland, Imani Christian’s Dame Givner and Union’s Matt Stanley.
Third-team selections were New Castle’s Jonathan Anderson, Highlands’ Bradyn Foster, Belle Vernon’s Zion Moore, Yough’s Terek Crosby, Aliquippa’s Donovan Walker, Greensburg Central Catholic’s Tyree Turner and Franco Alvarez and Monessen’s Lorenzo Gardner.
2023 Pa. All-State Boys Basketball
Class 6A
First team
Ruben Rodriguez, 6-2, sr., Reading
Xzayvier Brown, 6-1, sr., Roman Catholic
Jalil Bethea, 6-4, jr., Archbishop Wood
Nick Coval, 6-2, jr., Parkland
Braeden Shrewsberry, 6-3, sr., State College
Dylan Blair, 5-11, sr., Downingtown West
Second team
Jacob Nguyen, 6-4, so., Spring-Ford
Sam Brown, 6-2, sr., Lower Merion
Quidire Bennett, 6-3, sr., Plymouth-Whitemarsh
Greg Guidinger, 6-7, jr., Central York
Jaron McKie, 6-2, so., St. Joseph’s Prep
Nadir Myers, 6-2, sr., Upper Darby
Third team
Aris Rodriguez, 6-5, sr., Reading
Nasir Washington, 6-3, sr., Penn Wood
Myles Grey, 5-10, sr., Reading
Jonathan Anderson, 5-9, sr., New Castle
Donovan Fromhartz, 6-4, so., Downingtown West
Miguel Pena, 6-3, sr., Hempfield (Landisville)
Jermal Stewart-Herring, 6-3, sr., Roman Catholic
Player of the Year: Ruben Rodriguez, Reading
Coach of the Year: Rick Perez, Reading
Class 5A
First team
Justin Edwards, 6-7, sr., Imhotep Charter
Thomas Sorber, 6-9, jr., Archbishop Ryan
Ahmad Nowell, 6-1, jr., Imhotep Charter
Royce Parham, 6-9, jr., North Hills
Rahmir Barno, 5-11, sr., Imhotep Charter
Darren Williams, 6-4, jr., Archbishop Ryan
Second team
Jackson Hicke, 6-5, sr., Radnor
Anthony Caccese, 6-7, sr., Exeter Township
Trey Grube, 5-11, sr., Manheim Central
Kareem Diaz, 6-4, sr., Murrell Dobbins
Daemar Kelly, 6-5, sr., Penn Hills
Tasso Sfanos, 6-2, sr., Mars
Third team
Julian Pagan, 6-3, sr., Pocono Mountain West
Hayden Pardoe, 6-5, sr., Central Mountain
Zyion Paschall, 5-10, sr., Exeter Township
Jake Sambuchino, 5-11, sr., Cathedral Prep
Malachi Thomas, 6-4, sr., Milton Hershey
Kevin Rucker, Jr., 6-5, jr., Bonner-Prendergast
Player of the Year: Justin Edwards, Imhotep Charter
Coach of the Year: Matt Ashcroft, Exeter Township
Class 4A
First team
Robert Wright III, 6-0, jr., Neumann-Goretti
Brandin Cummings, 6-4, jr., Lincoln Park
Meleek Thomas, 6-4, so., Lincoln Park
Rodney Gallagher, 6-0, sr., Laurel Highlands
Sultan Adewale, 6-8, sr., Neumann-Goretti
Izaiah Pasha, 6-5, sr., Cardinal O’Hara
Second team
Max Hurray, 6-1, jr., North Catholic
Jake Karnish, 6-2, sr., Fleetwood
Bryce Epps, 6-0, sr., South Allegheny
Keondre DeShields, 6-3, sr., Laurel Highlands
Khaafiq Myers, 5-11, jr., Neumann-Goretti
Elijah Hamilton, 6-5, sr., Octorara
Duce Jackson, 6-6, sr., Collegium Charter
Third team
Cole Miller, 6-3, sr., Clearfield
Austin Bausman, 6-4, sr., Eastern York
Nyerre Collins, 5-10, sr., Greater Johnstown
Bradyn Foster, 6-8, jr., Highlands
Dean Coleman-Newsome, 6-4, sr., Archbishop Carroll
Zach Kirk, 6-0, jr., Octorara
Zion Moore, 5-11, so., Belle Vernon
Player of the Year: Robert Wright III, Neumann-Goretti
Coach of the Year: Mike Bariski, Lincoln Park
Class 3A
First team
Makhai Valentine, 6-3, sr., Steel Valley
Adam “Budd” Clark, 5-10, sr., West Catholic
Zion Stanford, 6-5, sr., West Catholic
Patrick Haigh, 6-4, sr., Bishop Guilfoyle
Blake Morningstar, 6-5, sr., Wyalusing Valley
Garrett Harrold, 6-4, sr., Penn Cambria
Second team
Connor Spratt, 6-2, sr., Seton LaSalle
Owen Schlager, 6-2, so., Trinity (Camp Hill)
Bryce Robson, 6-0, sr., Deer Lakes
Joseph Roth, 6-5, jr., Ellwood City
Damon Curry, 6-5, jr., Franklin
Jacen Holloway, 6-5, sr., Devon Prep
Third team
Karson Dominick, 6-1, jr., North Penn-Mansfield
Danny Nemitz, 5-10, sr., Mid Valley
Lucas Orchard, 6-4, sr., Devon Prep
Terek Crosby, 6-2, jr., Yough
Nasseem Wright, 6-6, jr., MCS Charter
Jude Haigh, 6-4, so., Bishop Guilfoyle
Player of the Year: Makhai Valentine, Steel Valley
Coach of the Year: Miguel Bocachica, West Catholic
Class 2A
First team
Davion Hill, 6-2, sr., St. John Neumann
Camden Hurst, 6-2, sr., Lancaster Mennonite
Shea Champine, 6-1, sr., Bishop Canevin
Cameron Lindsey, 6-3, jr., Aliquippa
Jackson Hubbard, 6-2, sr., Sayre
Ross Eyer, 6-5, sr., Muncy
Second team
David Weaver, 6-7, sr., Lancaster Mennonite
Brad Felix, 6-3, sr., United
Nathan Lapp, 6-1, sr., Dock Mennonite
Richie Preston, 6-5, sr., West Middlesex
Marcus Cleveland, 5-11, sr., Leechburg
Kyree Latimer, 6-3, jr., Constitution
Third team
Donovan Walker, 6-1, sr., Aliquippa
Tyree Turner, 6-0, jr., Greensburg Central Catholic
Jordan Hesdon, 6-0, sr, Clarion-Limestone
Tanner Zawada, 5-10, so., Mahanoy
Jake Mattocks, 6-3, sr., Mercer
Zaki Alston, 6-4, sr., Sankofa Freedom Academy
Franco Alvarez, 6-5, jr., Greensburg Central Catholic
Player of the Year: Davion Hill, St. John Neumann
Coach of the Year: Seth Buckwalter, Lancaster Mennonite
Class A
First team
Vinnie Cugini, 6-1, sr., Aquinas Academy
Pace Prosser, 6-1, jr., Berlin Brothersvalley
Alier Maluk, 6-11, so., Imani Christian
Jaydis Kennedy, 6-3, sr., Geibel Catholic
Jack Bracken, 6-4, jr., Harmony
Craig Jarvis, 6-1, jr., Berlin Brothersvalley
Cameron Keyser, 6-5, sr., Jamestown
Second team
Drew Hoffman, 5-11, sr., High Point Baptist
Xavier Spears, 6-3, jr., Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg
Derek Litzelman, 6-1, sr., North Penn-Liberty
Dame Givner, 6-1, so., Imani Christian
Daniel King, 6-3, sr., Linville Hill Christian
Matt Stanley, 5-11, sr., Union
Third team
Ryan Blubaugh, 6-1, sr., Berlin Brothersvalley
Avery Kopcha, 5-11, jr., Mount Calvary Christian
Mason Kargo, 5-11, sr., Portage Area
Jack Swider, 6-5, sr., Phil-Mont Christian
Adam Straub, 6-3, sr., Elk County Catholic
Lorenzo Gardner, 6-4, jr., Monessen
Player of the Year: Vinnie Cugini, Aquinas Academy
Coach of the Year: Tanner Prosser, Berlin Brothersvalley
Non-PIAA
First team
Christian Bliss, 6-4, jr., George
Andrew Phillips, 6-4, sr., Malvern Prep
Will Riley, 6-7, so., Phelps
Dellquan Warren, 6-0, jr., Keystone Academy
Ryan Williams, 6-3, jr., Malvern Prep
Second team
Luke Bevilacqua, 6-11, so., George
Jordan Dill, 5-11, fr., Germantown Friends
Will Sydnor, 6-8, jr., First Love Christian Academy
Khali Horton, 6-6, sr., Keystone Academy
Kevin McCarthy, 6-3, jr., Episcopal Academy
Third team
Devin Booker, 6-4, so., Cristo Rey
Matt Gilhool, 6-11, jr., Westtown
Matar Diop, 6-10, sr., Keystone Academy
Macon Emory, 6-7, jr., Perkiomen
Bahsil Laster, 6-5, jr., Academy of the New Church
Player of the Year: Christian Bliss, George
Coach of the Year: Tom Baudinet, Perkiomen
2023 All-State Girls Basketball Team
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Aliquippa, Aquinas Academy, Belle Vernon, Bishop Canevin, Deer Lakes, Ellwood City, Geibel, Greensburg C.C., Highlands, Imani Christian, Laurel Highlands, Leechburg, Lincoln Park, Mars, Monessen, New Castle, North Catholic, North Hills, Penn Hills, Seton La Salle, South Allegheny, Steel Valley, Union, Yough
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