2023 all-state boys basketball team includes 29 WPIAL players

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 | 3:00 PM

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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