Fun finale: 28 local players selected to play in Roundball Classic
Brownsville’s Damarion Brown lofts a floater against Shady Side Academy during a WPIAL Class AAA playoff game at Fox Chapel High School on Feb. 20. Brown was chosen to play in the 2023 Roundball Classic, which will take place at Geneva College in May.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Carmichaels’ Sophia Zalar drops in a layup against Bentworth during a game at Carmichaels on Jan. 30. Zalar has been selected to play in the 2023 Roundball Classic.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Geibel Catholic’s Tre White (4) attempts a shot as Avella’s Colton Burchianti defends during a WPIAL Class A playoff game at Charleroi on Feb. 17. Both players have been selected to play in the 2023 Roundball Classic which will take place at Geneva College in May.
The basketball season has ended for most WPIAL players but there is a group that can look forward to one more high-profile game to take part in.
The Roundball Classic recently released its rosters for its annual set of senior all-star games and 28 area players — 11 girls and 17 boys — along with one coach have been selected to participate.
Not all will be able to take part due to scheduling conflicts — Laurel Highlands’ superstar duo of Rodney Gallagher and Keondre DeShields were named to the Class 4A squad but neither will be able to play in their game — although most are likely to make the trip to Geneva College in Beaver Falls next month. Games are scheduled for May 18, 19 and 20.
In addition to the Mustangs, two other boys teams had two players chosen to play — Geibel Catholic and Yough — along with three girls teams — Albert Gallatin, Belle Vernon and, again, Yough.
The Gators have two players on two different teams with Jaydis Kennedy on the Class A roster and Trevon White on the East roster.
“I’m pretty proud of them, obviously,” Geibel coach Don Porter said. “They’re very deserving of it because they definitely put in a lot of hard work the four years they played at Geibel.
“It’s a great honor for them to be selected to take part in such a prestigious event.”
Albert Gallatin’s Gianna Michaux and Courtlyn Turner were both put on the girls West team, although Turner, who ended her career with 1,007 career rebounds, is also listed on the Class 5A roster and it’s not certain yet which team she’ll be playing for.
Either way, AG coach Craig Hoone was pleased to see them chosen.
“I was pleasantly surprised when I got the call and was told those two were selected,” Hoone said. “I think it’s quite an honor for those two girls and I’m very excited for the opportunity for them. Courtlyn averaged a double-double this year. Gianna averaged double digits also and over five assists per game.”
Other players from Fayette County who were chosen were Uniontown’s Bakari Wallace, Brownsville’s Damarion Brown and Connellsville’s Hillary Claycomb and Frazier’s Keyshaun Thompson.
Brownsville coach Rob Ramsey was relieved to see Brown picked for the Classic.
“It’s well deserved. I felt he definitely should’ve been invited to this game and we were hoping for it,” Ramsey said. “He’s just such a great leader, a vocal leader, and I think this is a good opportunity for him to showcase his skills and talents against good competition in front of some college coaches and basketball fans from southwestern Pennsylvania.”
Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky was thrilled to see Wallace chosen.
“It’s a great honor for Bakari to be selected to play in that game,” Kezmarsky said. “If you look at his roster it has some of the top players in the WPIAL and Bakari is well deserving of being on there with them.”
Yough was the local school with the most overall players selected with Mikalah Chewning and Laney Gerdich on the girls Class 3A team and Parker Rost and Tyler Travillion on the boys East team.
Belle Vernon not only put Jenna Dawson and Farrah Reader on the girls Class 4A team but also Lady Leopards coach Kaitlyn Slagus will guide that squad.
Slagus played for Belle Vernon in the 2015 Roundball Classic.
“The Roundball is a really cool experience to honor your senior year and your career playing basketball, playing with a lot of really talented kids around the WPIAL,” Slagus said. “I think it’s a really fun game for players, coaches and fans.”
Slagus recalled the game she played in.
“It’s really structured so playing time really doesn’t seem to be an issue,” Slagus said. “The game sort of runs itself so every five minutes or so subs are put in for both teams so it’s split pretty evenly until you see how competitive it is in the last part of the game.
“Everyone got a good amount of playing time, but I also didn’t have 16 players on the roster when I played like I have on this team I’m coaching. I think there were about 10 of us. It was a pretty high-scoring game, and we won.”
Slagus was upbeat about coaching two of her own players.
“Jenna and Farrah are both really deserving of being selected to play in the Roundball,” Slagus said. “I was really happy for them, especially Jenna. She tore her ACL and missed her sophomore year. To see her come back and play at the level she’s playing, I’m really proud of her. I’m proud of both of them.”
As for how she’ll approach coaching her Class 4A team against the Class 5A team, Slagus said, “It’ll be a unique experience for sure. We do have a loaded roster. I do realize some of the girls may not be able to come because of prom or other issues and conflicts. It’ll be a fun game to coach. I have Rich Gregory coming along to help me, he’s our middle school coach.”
Mapletown (Landan Stevenson and Krista Wilson), Carmichaels (Tyler Richmond and Sophia Zalar), Mount Pleasant (Yukon Daniels and Tiffany Zelmore) and Southmoreland (Elijah Myers and Maddie Moore) each had one boy and one girl selected to play.
Other local players chosen were Zach Boyd of Elizabeth Forward, Lorenzo Glasser of Ringgold, Troy Wright of Jefferson-Morgan and Landon Urcho of Bentworth.
The first set of games are scheduled for Thursday, May 18 with both the girls (6:30 p.m.) and boys (8 p.m.) East vs. West contests.
The girls West team includes the Lady Falcons’ Claycomb, AG’s Michaux and likely Turner.
The boys East team includes six area players in EF’s Boyd, the Vikings’ Daniels, the Scotties’ Myers, Yough’s Rost and Travillion and the Gators’ White. The boys West team includes the Mikes’ Richmond and the Commodores’ Thompson.
Games set for Friday, May 19 are girls’ Class 2A/A vs. Class 3A at 6:30 p.m. and boys North vs. Class 3A at 8 p.m.
The girls Class 2A/A roster includes the Lady Maples’ Wilson and the Lady Mikes’ Zalar while the Class 3A roster has the Lady Vikings’ Zelmore along with Lady Cougars’ Chewning and Gerdich.
The Rams’ Glasser is on the boys North team and the Falcons’ Brown is on the Class 3A team.
There are five games scheduled for Saturday, May 20 with boys Class A vs. Class 2A at 1:30 p.m., girls Class 6A vs. District 10 at 3 p.m., boys Class 5A vs. District 10 at 4:30 p.m., girls Class 4A vs. Class 5A at 6 p.m. and boys Class 4A vs. Class 6A at 7:30 p.m.
The boys Class A roster includes the Gators’ Kennedy, the Maples’ Stevenson and the Rockets’ Wright as well as Avella’s Colton Burchianti, the grandson of Margaret Burchianti of Masontown. That roster also features WPIAL all-time scoring leader Vinnie Cugini of Aquinas Academy. Urcho is on the Class 2A roster.
Slagus’ Class 4A roster includes the Lady Scotties’ Moore along with Dawson and Reader. Turner, if she is not on the West team, would play for the Class 5A squad.
The Red Raiders’ Wallace will play for the Class 4A boys in the final game of the event.