Quaker Valley boys pleased with progress during playoff season

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, March 2, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The Quaker Valley boys basketball team took a 15-7 record and No. 10 seed into the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs.

But the Quakers, the fourth-place representative out of Section 2, were forced to make a quick exit, losing to No. 7 Deer Lakes, 83-58, in the first round.

QV coach Mike Mastroianni has been involved in the boys basketball program for many years. He termed the 2024-25 season as “outstanding.”

And it might prove to be fruitful to future success.

“I’m extremely proud of this group,” Mastroianni said. “They captured our coaching staff’s attention daily with their approach and enthusiasm to practice and games.

“Our three dedicated seniors had next-day-up mentalities that our underclassman quickly adapted to. High school basketball seasons are always full of highs and lows. With a very young roster and numerous hurdles, we continued to grow and had an outstanding season.”

Dominic Cox-Giles, Dana Kromah and Eleazar Folabit, a trio of senior frontcourt players, provided leadership dynamics on this year’s squad.

The 6-foot-4 Cox-Giles and 6-5 Kromah dictated action on the boards, finishing one-two in the QV rebounding department. Cox-Giles averaged 16.1 rpg to go along with his team-leading 58% field goal percentage.

And Kromah was right behind at 56%. He also led the team in blocks with 32.

QV’s leading scorers all were backcourt performers: freshman Nic Cohen (13.3 ppg), junior Zach Washington (13.3 ppg) and sophomore Sam Chapman (12.6). Between them, the trio accounted for 39 points per contest.

Washington competed in just 10 games because of an injury.

Cox-Giles, Cohen and Chapman averaged three assists per game each. Cohen paced the team’s free-throw shooters at 83%, followed by Chapman (77%) and Washington (74%).

Kolton Johnson, a sophomore forward, and Chapman held their own in the shooting category, connecting on 55% and 51% of their field goals. Johnson also helped out substantially on the boards while leading the team in steals with 48.

Freshman guard Harrison Kerley, Chapman and Cohen were the Quakers’ top 3-point shooters.

The Quakers are eager to start gearing up for the 2025-26 season.

“We will return a number of key players who gained valuable experience in many areas,” Mastroianni said. “The key returners have tremendous work ethics and will put in valuable time this offseason.

“Combined with the young guys growing in our program, our guys are excited to get to work.”

QV started out 6-1 this season and enjoyed a five-game winning streak in January.

The Quakers defeated Aquinas Academy, 74-54, in the Win Palmer Memorial Classic on Feb. 2 at Sewickley Academy.

QV then wrapped up the regular season Feb. 10 with a 43-30 nonsection win at home against Shenango, a playoff qualifier in Class 2A.

Tags: Quaker Valley