Pair of young stars join senior-heavy Trib 10 boys basketball all-star team
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Friday, April 10, 2020 | 5:52 PM
Mars’ Michael Carmody battles Laurel Highlands’ Nick Egnot for a rebound during the WPIAL Class 5A championship game Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, at Petersen Events Center.
Highlands’ Johnny Crise scores during the WPIAL Class 5A championship game against Belle Vernon on Feb. 29, 2020, at Petersen Events Center.
North Catholic’s Isaac DeGregorio drives past Lincoln Park’s Dakari Bradford during the WPIAL Class 3A championship game Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at Peterrsen Events Center.
OLSH’s Jake DiMichele scores past Sto-Rox defenders during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, at Petersen Events Center.
Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher celebrates as time expires inthe WPIAL Class 5A championship game against Mars Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, at Petersen Events Center.
Mt. Lebanon’s Jake Hoffman drives to the basket past Central Catholic’s Ben Sarson during their WPIAL Class 6A semifinal Wednes day, Feb. 26, 2020, at Robert Morris University.
Butler’s Ethan Morton celebrates after being fouled in overtime during a WPIAL Class 6A semifinal against Upper St. Clair Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, at Robert Morris University.
Steel Valley’s Camden Polak scores past Clairton’s Wayne Wade III during their game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020, at Clairton High School.
Shaler’s Mekhi Reynolds (1) pulls up for a shot over Franklin Regional’s Jeffery Downs (10) on Jan. 10, 2020 at Franklin Regional.
This year’s Trib 10 boys basketball all-star team is a senior-heavy group, with two young and talented exceptions.
Freshman Rodney Gallagher opened his high school career by scoring nearly 600 points in leading Laurel Highlands to its first WPIAL championship since 1968.
Sophomore Jake DiMichele helped lift OLSH to a second straight WPIAL Class 2A championship, averaging nearly 30 points along the way.
They join a group of WPIAL players who experienced championship-winning moments and personal milestones in a coronavirus-shortened 2019-20 season.
Michael Carmody, Mars
Senior, 6-7, Forward
The Notre Dame football recruit averaged 19 points and 19.5 rebounds in helping Mars reach the WPIAL Class 5A title game, where the Fightin’ Planets lost to Laurel Highlands. Carmody, a second-team all-state selection last season, played in three straight district championship games and finished his career with more than 1,000 points and rebounds.
Johnny Crise, Highlands
Senior, 6-7, forward
Crise, a preferred walk-on for the Penn State football team, averaged 14.7 points and had countless highlight-reel dunks in guiding Highlands to a 23-4 record and its first district title since 1995. The high-flying forward had 23 points and 14 rebounds in the WPIAL Class 4A title game victory over Belle Vernon.
Isaac DeGregorio, North Catholic
Senior, 5-11, Point guard
A 1,500-point scorer for his career, DeGregorio averaged 17.3 points this season in helping North Catholic capture the WPIAL Class 3A championship. A third-team all-state selection last season, he has accepted a walk-on offer at Kentucky.
Jake DiMichele, OLSH
Sophomore, 6-2, Guard
DiMichele, the WPIAL’s third-leading scorer this season at 29.1 points per game, helped OLSH capture a second straight WPIAL Class 2A title. He scored 30 points against Sto-Rox in the district final and had 28 points in two PIAA playoff games. He also surpassed 1,000 career points this season as a sophomore.
Rodney Gallagher, Laurel Highlands
Freshman, 6-0, Point guard
Few freshmen have had such an impact in WPIAL basketball history. Gallagher averaged 22.7 points in guiding Laurel Highlands to the WPIAL Class 5A championship. He scored 24 points and sealed the championship game victory at the free-throw line in the final seconds. Gallagher already has scholarship offers from Pitt, Illinois and Rhode Island.
Jake Hoffman, Mt. Lebanon
Senior, 6-3, Guard
One of the WPIAL’s leading scorers at 21.6 points per game, Hoffman led Mt. Lebanon to the WPIAL championship game and PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals. He scored 40 points in a WPIAL quarterfinal win against Bethel Park and finished his career with nearly 1,150 points. Hoffman will play at Division III power Wooster.
Ethan Morton, Butler
Senior, 6-6, Point guard
The Trib HSSN Player of the Year averaged 22.2 points, 12.8 rebounds and 8.4 assists in leading Butler to its first WPIAL Class 6A title since 1991. A Purdue recruit, Morton finished his career with 2,198 points, more than 900 rebounds and nearly 700 assists. He also was selected as the Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year. He was a Trib 10 selection last season when he averaged 27.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists.
Cam Polak, Steel Valley
Senior, 6-1, Guard
The WPIAL’s second-leading leading scorer at 30.6 points per game, Polak guided Steel Valley to a 13-9 record. He finished his career with more than 1,700 points and is receiving interest from Division II programs, including an offer from IUP on Wednesday.
Mekhi Reynolds, Shaler
Senior, 6-3, Guard
A talented perimeter shooter, Reynolds led Shaler to a 14-10 record and a trip to the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals. He averaged 22.9 points and surpassed 1,000 points for his career. He is receiving college interest from teams in the Division II PSAC.
Isiah Warfield, Central Valley
Senior, 6-5, Point guard
After transferring to Central Valley before his senior season, Warfield proved to be a perfect fit for the Warriors. The Liberty recruit averaged 20.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. A first-team all-state selection the past two years at Sewickley Academy, he scored more than 1,600 career points. He was a Trib 10 selection last season when he averaged 25.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
Second team
Devin Carney, Butler, 5-11, So., Guard
C.J. Cole, McGuffey, 6-5, Sr., Guard
Vinnie Cugini, Aquinas Academy, 5-11, Fr., Guard
Kaden DiVito, Cornell, 5-11, Sr., Guard
Ryan Meis, Bethel Park, 6-1, Sr., Guard
Angelo Reeves, Vincentian Academy, 6-6, Jr., Forward
Zach Rocco, Penn-Trafford, 6-2, Sr., Guard
Isaiah Smith, Lincoln Park, 6-0, Sr., Guard
Dante Spadafora, OLSH, 6-0, Jr., Guard
Devin Whitlock, Belle Vernon, 5-9, So., Guard
Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.
Tags: Aquinas Academy, Belle Vernon, Bethel Park, Butler, Central Valley, Cornell, Highlands, Laurel Highlands, Lincoln Park, Mars, McGuffey, Mt. lebanon, North Catholic, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Penn-Trafford, Shaler, Steel Valley, Vincentian Academy
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