Trib HSSN 2024-25 WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball preseason breakdown

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, November 24, 2024 | 10:42 PM

What a season it was in 2023-24 for the best from the west and the beast in the east in WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball.

Moon and Franklin Regional collided in a pair of huge contents and, when the dust settled, they split.

In the WPIAL 5A title game, the cat fight was won by the Tigers as they beat the Panthers, 53-48.

The same two teams squared off again 17 days later in the PIAA semifinals; this time Franklin Regional earned a trip to Hershey with a 60-43 victory over Moon.

This class grew with realignment, making 5A even stronger this winter.

Here is a rundown of players to watch, the preseason top 5 teams and other notables in WPIAL 5A boys basketball this season.

Preseason Player of the Year

Ama Tening Sow, Montour

6-11, senior, forward/center

16.2 ppg last season

Players to watch

Max Butler, Latrobe

6-2, Sr., G-F, 17.5 ppg

Jayden Davis, Chartiers Valley

5-11, Sr., G., 19.0 ppg

Jake Dunkle, Trinity

6-7, Sr., F/C, 18.0 ppg

Notorious Grooms, Uniontown

6-0, Sr., G, 15.0 ppg

Nate Wesling, Baldwin

6-0, Sr., G, 15.8 ppg

Michael Santicola, Moon

6-5, Sr., F, 11.0 ppg

Preseason Top 5

1. Uniontown (23-5 last season)

The Red Raiders are moving on up with a loaded group after a memorable campaign a year ago that included losses to district and state champion Lincoln Park in the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA second round. Senior guard Notorious Grooms has more than 1,000 points in his career while senior guard Calvin Winfrey is 111 points away from 1K for his career. Also back for Uniontown are senior forward Kelan Milson and junior guard Isaac Ellsworth.

2. Baldwin (18-8 last season)

Purple power nearly ruled in Class 6A a year ago as Baldwin got hot in the postseason after finishing behind Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair in section play. The Highlanders reached the district finals before losing to rival USC in the 6A title game. Now a loaded Baldwin team drops down to 5A. Senior guard Nate Wesling averaged over 16 points per game last season. Joining him are seniors Caden Cherico and Matt Schenk, along with junior Max Marzina.

3. Peters Township (17-6 last season)

A year after Peters Township lost to Penn Hills in the 2023 5A finals, the Indians finished in second place in Section 1-5A and were upended in the first round of the 5A postseason. PT lost Jack Dunbar and Nate Miller, but the Indians have plenty coming back in seniors Nick McCullough, Mickey Vaccarelli, Sean Thelk and Cam Mills while junior Dylan Donovan has put together strong seasons in each of his freshman and sophomore years.

4. Chartiers Valley (11-12 last season)

With high expectations a year ago, the Colts struggled in all aspects on and off the floor, leading to a rare coaching change during the season. Chartiers Valley finished under .500 overall and was ousted from the postseason in the opening round by Shaler. First-year coach Corey Dotchin hopes to get the train back on the track with the return of senior Jayden Davis, who is closing in on 2,000 career points. He is joined by a couple of talented juniors in Julian Semplice and Danny Slizik.

5. Moon (26-4 last season)

The Tigers ran away with the Section 4-5A title by three games last season, then defeated Woodland Hills, Fox Chapel, Thomas Jefferson and Franklin Regional in the finals to win the 5A title. The Tigers lost the rematch against Franklin Regional in the PIAA semifinals to end their golden season. Gone are all-section players Elijah Guillory and Aiden Reeseman, but returning is senior forward Michael Santicola, a 6-5 forward who averaged 11 points per game.

Notable

• In the eight-year history of the classification, Moon will attempt to do something only one other team has done — repeat as WPIAL Class 5A champion. Mars won back-to-back 5A crowns in 2018 and 2019. Three schools have won two 5A crowns — Mars, Laurel Highlands in 2020 and 2022 and Moon in 2017 and 2024. The other winners were New Castle in 2021 and Penn Hills in 2023.

• There was growth in the classification following realignment as 5A increased from 24 to 29 teams. Baldwin dropped from 6A while several teams moved on up the class ladder from 4A, including Hampton, Indiana, Blackhawk, Uniontown, Albert Gallatin, Laurel Highlands, Montour and two-time defending WPIAL 4A champion Lincoln Park.

• District 12 power Imhotep Charter has won the last three PIAA championships in Class 5A, however the Panthers have moved up to Class 6A in this two-year cycle. In the seven previous state 5A boys basketball playoffs, only Moon in 2019 has captured a 5A state championship from District 7. Franklin Regional reached the state finals a year ago, but lost to Imhotep Charter, 59-48.

• Two legendary multi-championship winning coaches from 5A schools stepped aside following last season. Rob Carmody resigned after 26 years as head coach at Mars with a career record of 408-235 and two WPIAL titles. Joe Lafko stepped aside following 28 years as Hampton head coach where he was 489-251 with one district championship.

• Montour will lean on senior Ama Tening Sow, a 6-foot-11 forward who averaged 16.2 points last season. He committed to play at UT Martin.

• Some of the other players to watch in Class 5A include Thomas Jefferson junior Nick Trklja, Trinity junior Jonah Williamson, Bethel Park senior Tanner Pfeuffer, Ringgold senior Szyair Dungee, Penn Hills junior Amon Hawthorne, Plum seniors Max Grice and Will Beckner, Armstrong senior Jacob Szep, Latrobe seniors John Wetzel and Kyle McNeil, McKeesport juniors Lamont Perkins and Brian Jones and senior Valdez Stuvaints, Kiski Area seniors Colin Keller and Carson Heinle, Gateway junior Mykel Bruce-McCrommon, Franklin Regional seniors Drew Devola and Connor Crossey, Penn-Trafford seniors Evan Gross and Brayden Stone, South Fayette seniors Gavin Orosz and Dylan Head and Mars senior Austin Campbell.

• Some other teams to keep an eye on in the new season that were not ranked in the initial 5A Top 5 include Lincoln Park, Montour, Penn Hills, Trinity, McKeesport and Latrobe.

Alignment

Section 1: Albert Gallatin, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Latrobe, Laurel Highlands, McKeesport, Penn-Trafford, Uniontown

Section 2: Armstrong, Hampton, Indiana, Kiski Area, Penn Hills, Plum, Shaler

Section 3: Baldwin, Bethel Park, Peters Township, Ringgold, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity

Section 4: Blackhawk, Chartiers Valley, Lincoln Park, Mars, Montour, Moon, West Allegheny

Tags: Albert Gallatin, Armstrong, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Blackhawk, Chartiers Valley, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Hampton, Indiana, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Laurel Highlands, Lincoln Park, Mars, McKeesport, Montour, Moon, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Plum, Ringgold, South Fayette, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity, Uniontown