Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Player of the Week for March 11, 2024

By: Don Rebel
Monday, March 11, 2024 | 9:33 PM

Trib HSSN girls basketball player of the week: Rachael Manfredo

School: McKeesport

Class: Senior

Height: 6-foot-0

Position: Guard/Forward

#Earned: During a regular season in which McKeesport only lost two games, Manfredo led the team in scoring, averaging 15 points per game. She led the way in the district postseason as well, scoring a team-high 14 points in a first-round win over Hampton, 16 points in the quarterfinal victory over Indiana, 18 points in a semifinal loss to eventual champion South Fayette and 16 points in the consolation game win over Oakland Catholic. In the opening round of the PIAA playoffs, Manfredo scored 19 points and led a strong defensive effort that limited West York to only nine first half points as the Tigers rolled on to the second round with a convincing triumph, 61-32.

What coach says: “What stood out most to me the other night was her perseverance,” McKeesport coach Matt Miller said. “She was slow to start the game and then just continued to work and work until she ended up with around 20 points. This is what she’s done for us all season long. She grinds and then her athleticism takes over.”

“She works very hard every day in practice and it translates well into our games. She is our only big, and teams send two or three girls at her every night, and she still performs.”

“We are a veteran team and all the girls are leaders, some on the floor, some off the floor, some verbally and some by their work ethic. Rachel’s a little bit of everything. She’s a great student and she’s a great communicator. She leads by example, and we are very dependent on her scoring and inside defense. She is a great leader for this team.”

Background: Manfredo has been playing basketball since kindergarten. Through her elementary and middle school playing days, she was a guard, but since she hit her growth sport early in high school, she has transitioned to a forward. She has concentrated solely on basketball in her days at McKeesport after playing soccer and softball as a youngster. She also took various dance classes, which her parents feel has helped her with her footwork on the blocks near the hoop. Manfredo will be playing her college basketball next season at Edinboro.

2024 Trib HSSN Girls Basketball Players of the Week

Week 9 – Maggie Spell, Shady Side Academy

Week 8 – Emma Paul, Armstrong

Week 7 – Bailey Strnisa, South Side

Week 6 – Bella Antonacci, Indiana

Week 5 – Emma Larkin, Geibel Catholic

Week 4 – Shaye Bailey, Freedom

Week 3 – London Creach, Oakland Catholic

Week 2 – Mallory Daly, Seton LaSalle

Week 1 – Iyanna Wade, Clairton

Tags: McKeesport