Gateway’s Shegog looks forward to prestigious Roundball Classic

By: Michael Love
Sunday, April 25, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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Gateway senior forward Dynasty Shegog went toe-to-toe with Penn Hills’ Amoni Blackwell, Jasmyn Golden and Jayla Golden; McKeesport’s Haley Hertzer; and Woodland Hills’ Peyton Pinkney in Section 4-5A during the truncated 2020-21 season.

But those opponents will become teammates the weekend of May 15 for the annual Roundball Classic all-star basketball games at Geneva.

They will play on a Class 5A team that will face a group of Class 6A stars at 3 p.m.

“I am really excited and blessed with this opportunity,” said Shegog, who was notified of the honor before the rosters were released April 8. “It’s exciting to be able to play with and against the best of the best from this year’s senior class. It’s nice to have one more game together before we all go to college and go our separate ways.”

Shegog will have the chance to connect with her teammates at practices the week of the game.

More than 170 boys and girls seniors from Western Pennsylvania — the WPIAL, City League and District 10 — will take part in eight games May 13-15. There will be five boys games and three girls contests.

There will be two games Thursday, two more Friday and four Saturday.

The Roundball Classic returns to Geneva after event officials canceled last year’s games out of concern for the growing covid pandemic.

“When I saw my team and who I would get to play with, I was excited,” said Shegog, a Cal (Pa.) commit who led Gateway in scoring at 13.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game during the 2020-21 season. She was named to the All-Section 4 first team in a vote of the section’s coaches.

The Gators went 7-11 overall, 3-7 in Section 4 and lost to Mars in the WPIAL first round.

“We have a lot of height, athleticism and talent,” Shegog said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

In addition to Shegog and her section foes turned teammates, the Class 5A team features the WPIAL’s leading scorer, Plum guard/forward Kennedie Montue.

Montue, an Oakland commit, averaged 23.3 points for the Mustangs, who defeated Lincoln Park to capture their first WPIAL playoff victory since 2002.

Also on the Class 5A team, coached by Trinity’s Kathy McConnell Miller, are Albert Gallatin guard Bryn Bezjak, Hampton guard Oivia Bianco, Lincoln Park forward Paige Brown, Fox Chapel guard/forward Domenica Delaney, Trinity forward Courtney Dahlquist, Fox Chapel forward Ellie Schwartzman, Thomas Jefferson guard Maddy Trainer and Trinity guards Emily and Kaylin Venick.

Penn Hills guard A’lysa Sledge also was selected, but an injury most likely will keep her from playing in the game.

“This is a great honor for Dynasty,” Gateway coach Curtis Williams said. “With her work ethic, talent and leadership, she is very deserving to be a part of this game. This is a celebration of all the success the season brought to these players.”

Gateway has a long and storied legacy of senior players taking part in the Roundball Classic. On the girls side in recent years, some of the top players in the history of Gateway basketball have been celebrated with Roundball selection.

Jordan Edwards, a senior at Gateway for the 2017-18 season, was selected for the Roundball Classic before playing at Division I Niagara and after she helped the Gators capture the WPIAL Class 5A championship and qualify for the PIAA tournament.

That same year, Shegog wrapped up her first varsity season as a freshman at Seton LaSalle and helped the Rebels make the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals and also earn a berth to states.

She played that season with Roundball selection Alayna Ziegler, a 5-foot-5 point guard who led the team in scoring, assists and steals in her final varsity season.

Mary Kromka capped a highly successful Gateway career with a bid to the 2019 Roundball Classic.

Last year, Gators center Lexi Jackson was picked for the Roundball Classic ahead of her transition to college basketball at Kent State.

The rosters were announced, but the games had been canceled.

“It was tough to see that because Lexi had an amazing senior year and deserved to have the spotlight in a game like that,” Shegog said.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Gateway