Pittsburgh Midweek Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a busy Tuesday night of basketball around the WPIAL, several of our marquee games produced some fantastic performances from key players. Today we take a look at several of those players who hit the mark and also preview several players to look for coming up on Wednesday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'8" <em>Highlands</em> forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1187999' first='Brayden' last='Foster']</strong> went off for 31 points in a win over <em>Shady Side Academy</em>. Foster is a scholarship level prospect who has a well rounded game on both ends of the floor. He's got another year to go and will be one of the top big men in Pittsburgh next year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1187896' first='Evan' last='Berger']</strong> continued his hot start for <em>Thomas Jefferson</em>, scoring 31 points, giving him 100 in just three games this season, but TJ fell to <em>Baldwin </em>72-58. His name will be one to watch as a guard who will see his stock rise this winter and colleges throughout the region should keep an eye on him---Solid shooter who can also attack the rim. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Versatile 6'5" forward<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='991340' first='Travarese' last='Rowe']</strong> dropped 26 points for <em>McKeesport</em> last night but the Tigers fell to <em>Woodland Hills</em>. Rowe is one of the top senior frontcourt players in the area and will be expected to shoulder a heavy load this winter. Woodland Hills also features a freshman guard with serious promise down the line in<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1406791' first='Scoop' last='Smith']</strong>--He's going to be one to watch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>National recruit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='991408' first='Meleek' last='Thomas']</strong> continues to put on a show, pacing <em>Lincoln Park Charter</em> with 20 in a victory over <em>Moon Twp</em>. Thomas is one of the elite players in the nation regardless of class--Skilled ballhandler who attacks the rim well and can hit shots from anywhere inside halfcourt if left an inch. He has a high ceiling and projects as a power conference recruit. His teammate <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='991401' first='Brandin' last='Cummings']</strong> is another scholarship level prospect on a very talented LPC team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Sacred Heart</em> was led to victory over<em> Brashear</em> by two seniors we mentioned yesterday as key performers--<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1186067' first='Rocco' last='Spadafora'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1186068' first='Bryson' last='Kirschner']</strong>. Spadafora is a skilled guard who can facilitate and score and Kirschner is a tough to defend post player with an old school hustle mindset. Both are college prospects. <strong>Titus Gillett</strong> was over 30 to keep winless Brashear competitive. Gillett was a contributor last year but will be asked to do this nightly as senior forwards <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1186059' first='Ta'Mere' last='Robinson']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1186476' first='Kameron' last='Cheatom']</strong> are both out-Robinson still working back from a football injury sustained last fall, and Cheatom having suffered an ankle injury during football this year. It's his team to lead. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wednesday's Feature Matchups:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Guard heavy <em>North Catholic </em>looks to continue its impressive start to the season against <em>Seneca Valley</em>. Junior guard<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1188004' first='Max' last='Hurray']</strong> looked very comfortable against top competition at the weekend, especially on Sunday vs Msgr Scanlan. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1186069' first='Andrew' last='Maddalon']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1186070' first='Max' last='Rottman']</strong> give them a deep trio in the backcourt. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1186412' first='Landon' last='Butler']</strong> and <em>Latrobe</em> take on <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1395922' first='Jaydis' last='Kennedy']</strong> and <em>Geibel Catholic</em> in an interesting non divisional tilt between a large school and one of the smallest in the state. Butler is a big bodied guard, checking in at 6'4"-190 and he's capable of beating defenders off the dribble and getting at the rim and can also hit shots from outside... If Kennedy, one of the top Class A players not just in the WPIAL but in all of Pennsylvania, catches fire, Latrobe could be sweating it out in the fourth quarter, as Geibel goes 10 deep and is taking on a very tough non divisional schedule. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Seton LaSalle</em> hosts <em>Serra </em>in a battle of Catholic schools in the South Hills. All eyes will be on Seton senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1116023' first='Connor' last='Spratt']</strong>. The 6'2" guard has exploded for 80 points in his first two games against big school competition. Seton is also taking on a tough slate outside the division. Spratt is an electric guard who is one of the top shooters in Pennsylvania. He's starting to receive interest from D1 schools and is one of the most underrecruited players in the Northeast. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->