WPIAL Friday Wrap Up
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Prep Hoops took in the Pittsburgh Central Catholic-Butler matchup on Friday evening. We look at that contest as well as other news and notes from around the region in tonight’s post. The Game Central Catholic scored a big win over…
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Continue ReadingPrep Hoops took in the Pittsburgh Central Catholic-Butler matchup on Friday evening. We look at that contest as well as other news and notes from around the region in tonight’s post.
The Game
Central Catholic scored a big win over New Castle on the road Tuesday evening and looked a dominating team in a blowout win over Butler this evening. Balanced scoring and a powerful post game paced the Vikes to their most impressive performance of the last two years. Dante DePante Dante DePante 6'3" | PG Central Catholic | 2023 State PA got his points but was more than content to be the facilitator for his teammates. 6’5″ junior forward Cole Sullivan had a fantastic game, going for 16 points and doing so in impressive fashion. He used good footwork, powerful post moves and drives to the basket by putting the ball on the floor to lead the Vikes to a 55-33 win…Central pulled its starters after three up by about 30 before the gap closed. Sullivan’s big game allowed Debaba Tshiebwe Debaba Tshiebwe 6'6" | PF Central Catholic | 2023 State PA to work off of him and get some easy buckets in the post himself. Central was able to slow down senior guard Madden Clement Madden Clement 5'10" | PG Butler | 2023 State PA and promising youngster Donovan Carney. Tommy Kristian Tommy Kristian 6'0" | SG Pittsburgh Central Catholic | 2023 State PA put in a good shift defensively for Central, as did fellow senior Randy Wilkerson Randy Wilkerson 6'0" | CG Central Catholic | 2023 State PA and junior guard Peyton Wehner Peyton Wehner 6'0" | PG Central Catholic | 2024 State PA , who will drive the bus in the backcourt next year. Central turns it around on Saturday to take on Lincoln Park Charter in one of the marquee matchups of the year and is riding high after this week. Can they tangle Meleek Thomas Meleek Thomas 6'4" | CG Lincoln Park | 2025 State #5 Nation PA and Brandin Cummings Brandin Cummings 6'3" | SG Lincoln Park | 2024 State #132 Nation PA ? Can their bigs be the difference?
The Best Of the Rest
Royce Parham Royce Parham 6'8" | PF Western Reserve Academy | 2024 State #53 Nation OH got North Hills past South Fayette on a buzzer beater from deep. At first glance, Royce’s expanded skillset showed as he was able to catch, put the ball on the floor, get a step on his defender and pull up for the game winning shot–He’s becoming a very well rounded player and will be one of the most sought after prospects in Pennsylvania next year. South Fayette is tthiiissss close to the elite–They’ve lost four games by one point this year.
6’0″ senior guard Bryce Epps Bryce Epps 6'0" | PG South Allegheny | 2023 State PA became the all time leading scorer at South Allegheny High School in a win over Quaker Valley. The high scoring guard who can get to the rim or hit shots from deep now sits at 1,633 points and counting. The previous record holder, Mike Kurka, a 1983 alum who had 1,631, was in the house for Epps big moment.
The guard only lineup of North Catholic continues to sizzle, scoring nearly 90 in an impressive win over Blackhawk. Junior guard Max Hurray Max Hurray 6'2" | SG North Catholic | 2024 State PA may be the best of the bunch–He led the way in scoring but he’s a big bodied guard with a multi-faceted game–He’s very similar to senior teammate Andrew Maddalon Andrew Maddalon 6'2" | SG North Catholic | 2023 State PA in that regard, but a touch bigger.
Tasso Sfanos Tasso Sfanos 6'1" | PG Mars | 2023 State PA made amends with his Mars teammates after their loss to North Hills by scoring 31 in a blowout win over Jayden Davis Jayden Davis 5'10" | CG Chartiers Valley | 2025 State PA and Chartiers Valley. We were at the Mars-North Hills game, one Tasso and his teammates probably wish they had back–We knew he, and Mars as a whole, was much better than that night. He’s a solid ballhandler who could run the point effectively at the next level but can also drift off and play a 2 spot and be comfortable to put the ball on the floor, get at the rim or step back and shoot.