Trib HSSN Head of the Class: 2025 WPIAL boys basketball players of the year

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 | 11:14 PM

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What an incredible season for so many of the top boys basketball players around the WPIAL.

While some players surpassed the magical 1,000-point scoring mark for their career this winter, a couple eclipsed the rare 2,000 points-scored plateau.

While we salute all of those who participated in a memorable 2025 boys high school basketball campaign, we have a special seat in the front of the classroom for those players who were a cut above.

The following six players will fill those seats after being named the Trib HSSN Head of the Class for the 2025 season in each of the six classifications.

Class 6A

Tyler Robbins, Upper St. Clair

For the second straight season, senior post player Tyler Robbins of Upper St. Clair was a cut above the rest, literally. The 6-foot-10 forward worked in perfect harmony with a talented group of shooting and defending guards to allow the Panthers to become the first team in WPIAL history to repeat as 6A boys basketball champions. The Miami (Ohio) commit capped off the district playoffs with a double-double in the WPIAL championship win over New Castle with 12 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocked shots. He scored 14 points, including a game-winning slam at the buzzer, in a two-point win over McDowell in the state quarters and had 18 points and 12 rebounds in a semifinal loss to Roman Catholic.

Class 5A

Ama Sow, Montour

There was no gold on the hardwood this winter for Montour, but the Trib HSSN preseason player of the year lived up to his lofty standards with a terrific season. The 6-11 senior was a big part of a dominant regular season for the Spartans, who won the Section 4-5A title by two games and ended up 21-1 with their only loss coming against Countryside, Fla. In the two district playoff victories for Montour, Sow led the way with 24 and 19 points in wins over Franklin Regional and Latrobe. The Spartans lost in the district and state playoffs to section rival Chartiers Valley as the Division I Tennessee at Martin commit was limited to a combined 28 points in those losses.

Class 4A

Rowan Carmichael, Avonworth

Following an outstanding regular season in which Avonworth finished as co-section champions with Beaver in Section 2-4A, the ‘Lopes could not carry that success over to a postseason in which they ended up going 2-2 despite consistent play from the scoring machine that is Rowan Carmichael. On Jan. 24, Carmichael became the 38th player in WPIAL boys basketball history to reach 2,000 points scored in his career when he piled up 36 points in the Antelopes’ win over Hopewell. In the two playoff wins for Avonworth, Carmichaels led the way with a combined 66 points; however, even in the two losses, he scored 31 against Belle Vernon in the WPIAL semis and 27 vs. Sharon in a PIAA first-round loss.

Class 3A

Josh Pratt, Aliquippa

Aliquippa may have come up just a little short against South Allegheny in the WPIAL 3A championship game and in the PIAA semifinals, but there was nothing lacking about the season Josh Pratt had as he is sitting at the head of the Trib HSSN class for a second straight season. The junior guard was lights out in helping the Quips win the Section 1-3A title by two games. Then in the playoffs, he was the leading scorer for Aliquippa in six of the seven playoff games he played. In the WPIAL 3A finals, he scored 18 of the Quips’ 35 points in the loss to SA. Pratt tallied 80 points in three state playoff wins before injuring his ankle in practice and missing the state semifinal loss by the Quips to the Gladiators.

Class 2A

Lucas Stanley, Union

The WPIAL Class 2A championship game was an unexpected matchup between No. 3 Jeannette and No. 8 Union. While the Jayhawks leaned on a balanced attack to win the school’s second district title, there was no question the Scotties’ driving force to the final was a Stanley steamer. Senior guard Lucas Stanley helped Union finish third in a tough Section 4-2A in their first season after moving up from Class A. In the district playoffs, Stanley was in beast mode as he scored 36 points in a win over Fort Cherry, 14 in an upset victory over top seed Greensburg Central Catholic, 24 in a semifinal win over rival Neshannock and 17 points in a loss to Jeannette. He also dropped 35 points in a PIAA first-round win over Bishop McCort.

Class A

Courtney Wallace Jr., The Neighborhood Academy

It was a beautiful season in the Neighborhood as the tiny college preparatory high school in the Stanton Heights neighborhood east of the City of Pittsburgh enjoyed double gold thanks in large part to an Ivy League-bound senior guard. Courtney Wallace Jr. helped the Bulldogs win their first 10 games, then after a one-point loss to Beaver, win their final 11 games in the regular season to win Section 2-A and go 21-1 in the regular season. In the double championship run postseason, Wallace scored 57 points in district playoff games, leading to a first WPIAL championship, then put up a combined 93 points in five games as Neighborhood Academy captured its first PIAA title.