Scholastic Notebook – 03/11/2011

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 11, 2011 | 12:00 AM

One top high school basketball player has returned from a concussion and another important player might be returning.

West Mifflin senior C.J. Hester, who averages 18 points a game, played in a PIAA Class AAA play-in game Tuesday night and was a key factor in the Titans' 66-36 victory against Bradford. Hester had 17 points and 15 rebounds.

Hester sustained a concussion in a Feb. 4 game and did not play the rest of the regular season. He played in West Mifflin's WPIAL first-round playoff game against West Allegheny, but was obviously not the same player as he was before the concussion. He did not score again and was injured late in the contest, apparently suffering another concussion when he was involved in a collision with another player.

Hester did not play in the WPIAL quarterfinals and West Mifflin lost to Montour. At that time, West Mifflin coach Lance Maha said Hester was done for the season. However, Montour came on and won the WPIAL championship and West Mifflin made the PIAA playoffs.

Hester is a 6-foot-3 senior who has committed to West Liberty, a strong NCAA Division II college that is undefeated and averages 112 points a game.

While Hester is back, the status of Chartiers Valley guard Steve Burda is up in the air because of a concussion. Burda sustained a concussion late in a semifinal game against Mt. Lebanon and he did not play in the WPIAL Class AAAA championship game when the Colts lost to Gateway. Burda, a guard, is the team's second-leading scorer.

Chartiers Valley plays Allderdice in an interesting PIAA first-round game Saturday and Burda might play

Tags: Chartiers Valley, West Mifflin