Next wave
Four area girls play in Roundball Classic Rising Stars game
While there were 12 local seniors selected to play in the Roundball Classic, the basketball all-star event also included the next wave of talent in a trio of Rising Stars Underclassmen games.
The girls game, played on May 29 at North Allegheny High School, featured four area players in sophomores Mallory Clemmer of Geibel Catholic and Aubrey Brown of Belle Vernon and freshmen Saige Mickens of Connellsville and Tess Pauley of Waynesburg Central.
All four played for the South team, which lost in a close 67-62 battle to the North, and each was a member of the 2026 Herald-Standard All-Area Girls Basketball First Team.
The future looks bright for area girls basketball.
Clemmer and Brown, both 6-foot-1 forwards heading into their junior year, are already drawing plenty of college interest.
Clemmer, who suffered a freak wrist injury after helping lead Geibel Catholic to the WPIAL Class A championship game which forced her to miss the final at Petersen Events Center (a 47-46 loss to Serra Catholic), says she is now fully recovered.
Clemmer scored seven points for the South and is currently playing for the Western Pa. Bruins AAU team.
“I started back playing around the end of April. I actually had my last orthopedic appointment this week. My wrist is all healed up and Dr. (Ari) Pressman hopes he never has to see me again and so do I,” Clemmer said with a laugh. “It still stings that I didn’t get to play in the WPIAL championship game. My team did so awesome, and I know if I was in there we would’ve brought home the gold. I’m looking forward to getting back to the Pete next year.”
Clemmer was excited to be chosen to play in the Roundball Classic underclassmen event.
“I was honored to be picked as a Roundball Rising Star,” Clemmer said. “The game was so much fun. They had music playing the whole time and we subbed every five minutes or so. I scored several times, got some good rebounds and assists. It was laid back and a nice way to end my sophomore year.”
Clemmer will be the focal point of the Lady Gators team next year under coach Sara Larkin, but is currently concentrating on the summer.
“I’m looking forward to the rest of my AAU season now,” Clemmer said. “I’m also going to fill in at Grant Street for the summer league in between my traveling tournaments. I’m also visiting several colleges this summer and attending some elite camps.”
Belle Vernon coach Cornelius Nesbit was pleased to see Brown, who scored eight points for the South, selected to play in the event.
“It rewards a kid for all the hard work she’s put into the game, the workouts we had on Tuesdays and Thursdays and her getting herself into the weight room and getting more focused in understanding where the game of basketball could actually take her,” Nesbit said.
Brown has already reeled in offers from a trio of NCAA Division-I colleges in Colgate, Oakland and Mercyhurst, but Nesbit doesn’t expect a decision from his star junior-to-be any time soon.
“I think for her it’ll be sort it out as she gets into her senior year,” Nesbit said. “One of the advantages that I do think she has is she’s had a brother (Belle Vernon senior wrestler Elijah Brown who is a Penn State recruit) go through this process.
“We did talk the other day and I told her to sit and have a conversation with Elijah and pick his brain about how his process went, how to handle all the phone calls, all the text messages and things of that nature.”
Mickens, a versatile 6-0 guard/forward who scored multiple baskets for the South, is the daughter of Lady Falcons coach Bronson Mickens, a former Connellsville football and basketball star and 1995 graduate. While he acknowledged his daughter inherited some of his talent, he put more of emphasis on her own work ethic.
“She works very hard so I can only take a little credit because she puts in a lot of time in the gym,” said Bronson Mickens, who was happy to see Saige chosen for the Rising Stars game and noted how it reflects on the Lady Falcons team.
“When a younger player earns an opportunity like this, it’s a special achievement and it says a lot about the direction of Connellsville basketball,” Bronson Mickens said. “It’s a tremendous honor for both the athlete and our program. I’m proud to see her recognized amongst some of the area’s best, young talent and I’m looking forward to watching her grow as a player. It was nice to watch her represent our school, program and team.”
Pauley, a 5-8 guard, was one third of a trio of freshmen starters along with Addonea Johnson and Emma Blair, in a highly touted class for Waynesburg this past season.
Lady Raiders coach Mark Capozzoli sees even better things to come for Pauley.
“Tess is a very talented player, and we’ve been working hard on helping her become a more complete, well-rounded athlete,” Capozzoli said. “Over the past year, she’s added approximately five-to-seven pounds of muscle and continues to improve her overall game. While she has already shown what she’s capable of, I truly believe the community hasn’t yet seen the best version of Tess. Her potential is tremendous, and I expect her to take another significant step forward this season.”
Capozzoli, who also had senior Peyton Cowell play in the senior Roundball Classic event, hopes his team can improve on a season in which it went 21-4 and won a playoff game. In addition to Pauley, he praised Johnson and Blair who also had strong first years.
“Both players have put in the work during the offseason and possess the talent, work ethic and competitive spirit to stand out this upcoming season,” Capozzoli said.
“We’re excited about the future of our program and look forward to seeing these young athletes continue to develop and contribute at a high level.”