Pittsburgh athletes of the week: Mt. Lebanon’s Antonio Garofoli, Peters Township’s Makenna Marisa

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, December 13, 2017 | 3:42 PM

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Antonio Garofoli

School: Mt. Lebanon

Class: Senior

Sport: Basketball

Claim to fame: After scoring 44 points by way of 11 3-pointers in a win on Friday, the all-section guard made seven more 3's en route to a 30-point performance Saturday as Mt. Lebanon took home the championship at its host tournament.

Was that the kind of start you were looking for to start the season?

I was definitely surprised, but we're playing up tempo this year. … We have a lot of shooters and it gets us open so that the other team can't faceguard us. So, obviously I'm really excited to have a hot start. I wasn't expecting that, but I'm obviously very happy that it happened.

At what point on Friday did you start to feel like you were “in the zone?”

I'd probably say toward the end of the third quarter I felt like I couldn't miss. Anytime I had an opportunity to shoot, I was going to shoot. Coach let me stay in until about midway through the fourth (quarter), and everything was falling so it was really exciting.

Who do you try and model your game after?

I just try and be a complete player because coach always says that you can shoot and all, but you have to play defense too. So I have to know to play defense as well as play offense.

How did you get started playing basketball?

Probably my uncle; he instilled it in me when I was young. He took me to Duquesne basketball games, just any game and I fell in love with LeBron. He's probably my favorite player.

What's your favorite class?

Math, just because I'm interested in that field.

Makenna Marisa

School: Peters Township

Class: Junior

Sport: Basketball

Claim to fame: Scoring 29 points on Friday, Marisa followed that up with a 27-point effort in a win Saturday as Peters Township won its host tournament. Marissa has Division I offers from Pitt, Duquesne, St. Joseph's, Cincinnati and Ball State.

What led to your success over the weekend?

I guess I just got really pumped up before the games, and I think our defense was very good and that also got me pumped. Our success rebounding and just the whole team was doing really well.

How would you describe your playing style on the court?

I'm kind of a transitional player. I'm constantly sprinting up the court, and I'm kind of favoring my jump shot right now, but if my 3's not hitting then I have to take it to the rim, and I guess I can pretty much shoot it from anywhere.

What will it take for this team to advance further in the postseason this year?

We really have to work on defense and then rebounding, and I think our defense this year is really going to help us make it far, and we're doing pretty well offensively right now. We'll need teamwork too.

What's your favorite class?

Probably English, because I like what we're reading. We're reading “The Scarlet Letter” right now, and I think it's interesting.

Are you starting to narrow down your list of colleges?

I'm still pretty open. I'm talking to some other schools too.

— Alex Oltmanns

Tags: Mt. lebanon, Peters Township