WPIAL Semifinal Players To Follow

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The season is slowly heading towards its most depression moment--the day after the state finals...but we've still got a few weeks of joy ahead of us! Who are players to watch out of the teams that played in Pittsburgh today?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1188004' first='Max' last='Hurray'] | G | North Catholic 2024</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the top returning players in the North Hills next year, Hurray is a big bodied guard who is receiving scholarship level interest. He's got a good form on his jumper and a high release point. He moves faster than he appears to with the ball in his hands--deceptively quick to the rim and he can play through contact. North Catholic loses some key players after this season but Hurray is more than capable of being "The Man" next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='991354' first='Keondre' last='DeShields'] | G | Laurel Highlands</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DeShields days on the hardwood are numbered after giving a commitment to St Francis(PA) for football at the I-AAFCS level but he's making his senior year count. An electric scorer and elite athlete who was under-recruited in both sports he excelled in, DeShields is averaging over 20ppg on the season as a serious inside-outside threat. Laurel lost this evening, but he's not done yet...Nor is our next player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='991329' first='Rodney' last='Gallagher'] | G| Laurel Highlands</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What hasn't been written about Gallagher the last four years? He's a stud. A lightning quick guard who can light it up on offense at all levels and an equally electric defender. He's got some of the quickest feet in the WPIAL and active hands on defense. If Gallagher wanted to, he could easily play major D1 basketball--At one point he had offers from Florida in BOTH football and basketball. If Jose Mourinho is the self proclaimed "Special One" in soccer management, we can say that Gallagher is "The Special One" in WPIAL athletics right now. His ceiling is high in football at the next level but he's over 20ppg in hoops as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1395834' first='Makhai' last='Valentine'] | G| Steel Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The best pure scorer in Western Pennsylvania never ceases to impress. A do it all finisher who is absolutely lethal from beyond the arc--He can elevate to a height that most players only dream of, has great form on his shot and has the body to battle through contact. Playing football aided him as he's got the weight room results that translate to the basketball court. The most under-recruited player in Western PA in 2023. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1395937' first='Cruce' last='Brookins'] | G | Steel Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brookins is another powerful guard in the backcourt who doubles as a star in football. He's off to Pitt on the Gridiron but can be an explosive scorer when called upon. He can hit shots from beyond the arc consistently but is at his best in the mid range and slashing to the rim with a quick first step. If teams ratchet up the D on Valentine, there's still Brookins to deal with. They lost to Deer Lakes tonight in the semis, but they're far from done and could easily flip the script in states. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->