Pittsburgh New Years Day Takes

Alex Fydryszewski

January 1, 2023 @ 03:21 PM

As we've turned the page from 2022 to 2023, it's time to take a look back at the first month of the season and analyze some of what we've learned thusfar.     1.) [player_tooltip player_id='1173989' first='Royce' last='Parham'] and North Hills have continued motoring along just fine after graduating 4 out of 5 starters last year. Parham has been dominant at both ends of the floor. The Indians are 6-2 entering January with both losses coming to [player_tooltip player_id='1188036' first='Peter' last='Kramer'] and a solid Hampton team. NH will face some fantastic divisional games as we go into January with [player_tooltip player_id='1188607' first='Jayden' last='Davis'], [player_tooltip player_id='1454309' first='Julian' last='Semplice'] and Char Val; [player_tooltip player_id='991376' first='Tasso' last='Sfanos'] and Mars; A surging South Fayette; [player_tooltip player_id='1187981' first='Elijah' last='Guillory'] and a tough Moon Twp team that just dominated defending New Jersey State Group IV Champion and perennial power Elizabeth in a Christmas tournament at Maryland-Eastern Shore round out the division with West Allegheny, who is pesky. It may be the best division in the WPIAL.   2.) WPIAL 4A may be the best overall class right now. [player_tooltip player_id='991407' first='Quinton' last='Martin'] and Belle Vernon are rounding into basketball shape; [player_tooltip player_id='991408' first='Meleek' last='Thomas'], [player_tooltip player_id='991401' first='Brandin' last='Cummings'] and Lincoln Park Charter are among the top teams in the state behind their fantastic backcourt play; North Catholic may not have size but they make up for it with what might be the deepest pool of 6'0"-6'2" guards in the entire region, led by sharpshooting junior [player_tooltip player_id='1188004' first='Max' last='Hurray'], senior facilitator [player_tooltip player_id='1186069' first='Andrew' last='Maddalon'] and scorer [player_tooltip player_id='1186070' first='Max' last='Rottman']; Highlands has an inside-outside combo of senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='991347' first='Jimmy' last='Kunst'], one of the top returning guards in the Allegheny Valley, along with 6'8"big man Brayden Foster, a scholarship level prospect; Beaver has burst into the scene after some key wins and playing Lincoln Park to the wire and is led by [player_tooltip player_id='1185952' first='Sawyer' last='Butler'] and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1188638' first='Brady' last='Mayo'] in the backcourt and [player_tooltip player_id='1395899' first='Aiden' last='Townsend'] battling around the rim; Notorious Grooms and Uniontown are flying this year; South Allegheny is undefeated and rounding out the depth is Laurel Highlands--[player_tooltip player_id='991354' first='Keondre' last='DeShields'] and [player_tooltip player_id='991329' first='Rodney' last='Gallagher'] are one of the top backcourts in the state--but may be only the second best backcourt in WPIAL 4A.   3.) Bishop Canevin is now [player_tooltip player_id='1186057' first='Shea' last='Champine'] team. He played a support role and was in-and-out of the starting five last year but with graduation losses and transfers out, he stepped into the leadership role. An electric guard who can break defenders down off the dribble or pull up to hit shots, he's a versatile guard and the unquestionable leader of the Crusaders in Tim McConnell's first year. He recently picked up his first scholarship offer at the D2 level from USC-Beaufort, which recently established MBB and starts playing next season. USCB will play in the Peach Belt Conference and is located in the Low Country of South Carolina, between Charleston and Savannah and lies just 20 minutes off the beach at Hilton Head--not a bad place to get your first offer!   4.) [player_tooltip player_id='1116023' first='Connor' last='Spratt'] is that good and that important to Seton LaSalle. Spratt has missed the last two weeks with an injury and in that time, the Rebels have dropped 5 in a row and sit an unexpected 1-7 on the season--They've played a very tough schedule outside the division and much of that was built around Spratt, a scholarship level prospect--in his absence, others have stepped up but it's difficult to replace his production. His return can't come fast enough for Seton.   5.) In spite of having a wealth of talent, including elite prospect [player_tooltip player_id='1188606' first='Alier' last='Maluk'], sophomore guards [player_tooltip player_id='1188604' first='Dame' last='Givner'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1621402' first='RJ' last='SLEDGE'], 6'9" big man Virgil Hall, [player_tooltip player_id='1147707' first='Bez' last='Abdul'] and others, Imani Christian has struggled to put it all together and close out big game moments early in the season. They're young, so there's a learning curve coupled with sky high expectations and a brutal schedule thusfar but the road isn't any easier as they take on Neighborhood Academy on Tuesday at 5PM. Imani is 2-4 but has lost to Lincoln Park Charter, Allderdice, Devon Prep and a North Allegheny team that's now won 3 in a row.

As we've turned the page from 2022 to 2023, it's time to take a look back at the first month of the season and analyze some of what we've learned thusfar.