Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Player of the Week for Jan. 29, 2024

By: Don Rebel
Monday, January 29, 2024 | 6:28 PM

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Trib HSSN boys basketball player of the week: Joe Roth

School: Ellwood City

Class: Senior

Height: 6-foot-5

Position: Guard/forward

What coach says: “Thirty-one points against Neshannock and 51 against Mohawk shows what type of competitor he is,” first-year Ellwood City head coach Dan Bradley said. “He plays his best against top teams. He’s not one to pad stats against weaker teams. He competes every night and steps up against better competition.”

“He’s a leader in every way. He has the ‘it’ factor. He’s always calm and no moment is too big for him. It’s truly a pleasure to coach such a talented person.”

#Earned: Roth was part of that magical WPIAL championship run as a freshman for Ellwood City in 2021 and now he’s hoping to bookend his hardwood career with gold. “Lincoln High” began the week with a big Section 1-3A victory over visiting Neshannock. Roth scored 31 points as the Wolverines defeated the Lancers, 54-47. Ellwood City hit the road with a showdown against first-place Mohawk and came up on the short end of the stick, 82-77. Roth, however, set a new school record with 51 points in the loss. Roth did most of his damage in the paint and on the blocks, hitting only three 3-pointers. He scored 33 points in the second half and overcame an elbow to the bridge of the nose that needed two stiches afterwards.

Background: While Roth is winding down an incredible career, there is still a lot of work to be done on the hardwood and especially in the pool. In basketball, Roth is 126 points away from 2,000 points scored in his career. He will swim at the next level and is expected to do well in the WPIAL championships next month. Last year, he won four WPIAL medals and won the 100-yard backstroke at the PIAA finals after setting a state record in that event as a sophomore. Roth also played golf at Ellwood City this fall, plays for the Wolverines baseball team in the spring and maintains a 4.0 GPA in the classroom.

2024 Trib HSSN Boys Basketball Players of the Week:

Week 3 – Jay Wrona, Mohawk

Week 2 – Peters Kramer, Hampton

Week 1 – Joey Dopirak, North Allegheny

Tags: Ellwood City