The Fab 5 teams, made up of the top players in the WPIAL and City League, are selected by the Post-Gazette scholastic sports staff, with the help of voting from some district coaches. These players certainly put themselves in the spotlight this year – and the photos for the Fab 5 were taken at Stage AE on the North Shore.
Top photo: Fab 5 boys and girls players at Stage AE are, from left, North Hills’ Royce Parham, Chartiers Valley’s Aislin Malcolm, Moon’s Emma Theodorsson, Chartiers Valley’s Perri Page, Mt. Lebanon’s Ashleigh Connor, Quaker Valley’s Adou Thiero, Fox Chapel’s Eli Yofan, South Fayette’s Maddie Webber, Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart’s Jake DiMichele. (Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
Left:Top: | Right:Bottom:
Ashleigh Connor
Mt. Lebanon • 5’10” • Senior • Guard
College talk: Signed with Saint Louis. Had close to a dozen Division I offers, including Xavier and La Salle.
Most memorable moment this season: Definitely winning the WPIAL championship with my team. We were working for it for four years. It’s a game I’ll never forget.
Favorite player of all time: Kevin Durant.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Brad Everett (@BREAL412 Post-Gazette sports writer).
Toughest opponent: Definitely No. 20 (Abby Sharpe) from Plymouth Whitemarsh.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My coaches. They’ve helped me with different parts of my game. Especially (Mt. Lebanon assistants) Jackie DelSardo and Madison Cable. They played at the next level and have shown me what it takes to do it, too.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: Probably a doctor. I want to have a family and kids, and be either a doctor or an engineer.
Funniest moment from this season: After the WPIAL championship, we poured water on [coach Dori Oldaker] and she was dancing.
TV show or series you would recommend: “Lost.”
Your opinion on a shot clock in Pennsylvania: Yes, we should have it.
People might be surprised to know that you …: I’ve worked on cadavers with my friend’s dad. He’s a spinal surgeon. It made me want to go to medical school.
Adou Thiero
Quaker Valley • 6’5″ • Senior • Guard
College: More big-time colleges started recruiting Thiero as the season went along. Visited Duquesne last week. Has visits planned in the next two weeks to Pitt, Kentucky and Maryland. All have offered scholarships.
Most memorable moment this season: Winning the WPIAL.
Favorite player of all time: Kevin Durant.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Probably Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) again.
Toughest opponent: In AAU, Elijah Fisher (of Toronto).
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: Derrick Rose. When I was younger, I used to watch all his highlights and that helped me learn how to create for teammates, but also score myself.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: I’d have my own business.
Funniest moment from this season: After we beat Montour the first time, we went to Coldstone Creamery (ice cream shop) and there was a Montour kid working there. They posted a picture saying we didn’t tip them. When we beat Montour in the WPIAL championship, we went back there and someone posted a picture of us polishing our gold medals.
TV show or series you would recommend: “See” on Apple TV.
Your opinion on a shot clock in Pennsylvania: It really doesn’t matter to me, but I’d say it would be pretty good because people wouldn’t hold the ball and teams would have to do something at the end of games. Teams holding the ball is annoying.
People might be surprised to know that you …: Played lacrosse in sixth and seventh grade.
Aislin Malcolm
Chartiers Valley • 5’11” • Senior • Guard
College talk: Signed with Pitt. Other top choices were Penn State, Boston College and Northwestern.
Most memorable moment this season: All the accomplishments all of us had. Hallie (Cowan) scored her 1,000th point. Perri (Page) scored her 1,000th. And I beat the (school) scoring record.
Favorite player of all time: Kevin Durant.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: ESPN (@espn) to keep up to date on all the games.
Toughest opponent: Definitely either Cardinal O’Hara or South Fayette. The best player was Maggie Doogan from Cardinal O’Hara.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My pap (Ted Yustak).
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: An engineer.
Funniest moment from this season: Around Halloween, Helene (Cowan) put on her scary mask and she had me talk to coach (Tim McConnell). While we were talking, Helene was standing behind him. When he turned around, he got so scared.
TV show or series you would recommend: “One Tree Hill.”
Your opinion on a shot clock in Pennsylvania: I think we should do it.
People might be surprised to know that you …: I like to paint.
Jake DiMichele
OLSH • 6’3″ • Senior • Guard
College: Considering Division II schools California (Pa.), West Liberty and Seton Hill. Robert Morris has offered him a spot as a walk-on.
Most memorable moment this season: I think when I scored 51 points (against Shady Side Academy).
Favorite player of all time: Larry Bird.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Probably my cousin, Alex DiMichele (@Alex_DiMichele).
Toughest opponent: I’d say my brother (Daren). When I play him in the backyard, he guards me better than any other person.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: Besides my family, I’d probably just say my teachers in school over the years.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: A movie reviewer.
Funniest moment from this season: I’m not going too deep into it, but it would be my team’s shenanigans in the locker room after practice.
TV show or series you would recommend: “Peaky Blinders.”
Your opinion on a shot clock in Pennsylvania: It’s definitely needed. If we had a shot clock, I would’ve went over 3,000 points and our team would’ve averaged close to 90 points. Teams that know they don’t have a chance, they hold the ball. People might think it’s strategy, but I don’t think it’s an effective way to play basketball.
People might be surprised to know that you …: Like to read. I’ve read the bible a couple times. I’ll really read anything.
Perri Page
Chartiers Valley • 6’0″ • Senior • Forward
College talk: Signed with Columbia in November. Duquesne was her other finalist. Boston University and George Washington were among the other schools to offer.
Most memorable moment this season: Beating Moon in the WPIAL semifinals.
Favorite player of all time: Allen Iverson or Kobe Bryant.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Overtime (@overtime).
Toughest opponent: In the WPIAL, (South Fayette’s) Maddie Webber. Out of the WPIAL, (Cardinal O’Hara’s) Maggie Doogan.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: I’m going to go with one of my dad’s former teammates, Chevy Troutman.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: A businesswoman.
Funniest moment from this season: We were in an open gym right before Halloween. Helene (Cowan) put on a very scary mask. We had Aislin (Malcolm) talk to coach (Tim McConnell), and Helene stood behind him. When he saw the mask he got so scared.
TV show or series you would recommend: “Dynasty” or “Friends.”
Your opinion on a shot clock in Pennsylvania: I’m all for it. I don’t like holding the ball.
People might be surprised to know that you …: I’m cyber schooled. I don’t go to Chartiers Valley.
Rodney Gallagher
Laurel Highlands • 6’0″ • Junior • Guard
College: Had a few Division I offers for basketball, but decided last fall to play football in college. Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Texas among schools that have offered for football. Being recruited as a receiver, but plays QB-DB for Laurel Highlands. Is rated a four-star prospect in football by Rivals.com.
Most memorable moment this season: Winning the WPIAL championship and making the free throws at the end to win the game.
Favorite player of all time: LeBron James.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: ESPN (@ESPN).
Toughest opponent: Mike Wells (of New Castle).
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My three sisters. I have two older and one younger.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: Maybe a sports agent.
Funniest moment from this season: When our coach (Rick Hauger) got mad at practice once, kicked the ball and almost fell over.
TV show or series you would recommend: “Bel-Air.”
Your opinion on a shot clock in Pennsylvania: We need one ASAP. It’s kind of hard against some teams when you have to play defense for a minute-and-a-half almost every time they have the ball.
People might be surprised to know that you …: Like to bowl (laugh). I’m not too bad at it.
Emma Theodorsson
Moon • 6’0″ • Senior • Guard-forward
College talk: Signed with Bucknell. Also considered Penn, Lafayette, Miami (Ohio) and Wofford.
Most memorable moment this season: When we beat South Fayette in states. We all just played so well.
Favorite player of all time: Breanna Stewart.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Brad Everett (@BREAL412 Post-Gazette sports writer). He has all the game updates and knows everything that’s going on.
Toughest opponent: Journey Thompson from Peters Township. We’ve been playing together since we were young, and she’s tough to play against.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My AAU coaches, Robert Cash and Cornelious Nesbit. They’ve been with me through everything and have helped me grow as a player and a person.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: I have no clue what I want to do right now. I would say probably working for ESPN, doing something to stay around basketball.
Funniest moment from this season: So, in our locker room we have a white board. On the one side, we came up with a new nickname for Alicia (Bronner), our manager, every day. Names like Ballericia and Germicia, because she is from Germany.
TV show or series you would recommend: “Criminal Minds.”
Your opinion on a shot clock in Pennsylvania: We definitely need it. Whenever I played for Iceland, it was such a fast-paced game.
People might be surprised to know that you …: I like to water ski, and I’m pretty good at it.
Eli Yofan
Fox Chapel • 6’2″ • Senior • Guard
College: Undecided, but plans to visit Colgate soon and most likely Nova Southeastern, a top Division II program in Florida. Marshall has offered him a walk-on spot and Miami (Ohio) has shown interest.
Most memorable moment this season: Definitely winning the WPIAL. It was my best friend’s (J.P. Dockey) birthday that day, too.
Favorite player of all time: Kobe Bryant.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap of 93.7 The Fan).
Toughest opponent: In AAU, Zion Cruz (of Simi Valley, Calif.).
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My grandfather (Dave Musser). He didn’t play sports. He was an aircraft mechanic. But he was really hard working and showed me important qualities.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: General manager of a team in any sport. Can you imagine being the GM of, like, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Funniest moment from this season: It was the day before our first game and one of our players asked us if were going to wear our uniforms for the game. What?
TV show or series you would recommend: “Ozark.”
Your opinion on a shot clock in Pennsylvania: I think it would be good, but it would be tough for people to adapt to it, especially for juniors who played without a shot clock their whole lives and now have to get used to it.
People might be surprised to know that you …: Played the cello for four years.
Maddie Webber
South Fayette • 5’11” • Junior • Guard
College talk: Has scholarship offers from Temple, South Alabama, Monmouth, Niagara and Oakland.
Most memorable moment this season: Definitely winning the WPIAL championship just because everyone underestimated us. No one thought we would win, even some people from our school. We proved everyone wrong.
Favorite player of all time: Steph Curry and Liz Cambage.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Brad Everett (@BREAL412 Post-Gazette sports writer). I’m not even kidding.
Toughest opponent: It was definitely either (Chartiers Valley’s) Perri Page or Rachel Manfredo from McKeesport.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My AAU coaches, Jamal Woodson and Terrance Grate.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: Probably working with kids.
Funniest moment from this season: I remember at practice one day, I brought my Elf on the Shelf and hid it on our coach’s desk for film and he swatted it away. So then everyone brought their Elfs on the Shelf and were throwing them at each other on the bus.
TV show or series you would recommend: “Outer Banks.”
Your opinion on a shot clock in Pennsylvania: I’ve never played with one. I know it would definitely affect the way a lot of people would play. I don’t have a strong opinion either way.
People might be surprised to know that you …: I used to be really short in middle school. In seventh grade I was maybe 5-1 or 5-2, and then all of a sudden I started growing.
Royce Parham
North Hills • 6’7″ • Sophomore • Forward
College: Parham already has scholarship offers from Duquesne and Robert Morris, but other major colleges have also showed interest, including Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia and Indiana.
Most memorable moment this season: Probably winning the Pine-Richland game, because of the crowd and everything, and it was the KDKA (radio) game of the week.
Favorite player of all time: LeBron James.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Mike White (@mwhiteburgh Post-Gazette sports writer) because I don’t follow many people at all (laugh).
Toughest opponent: The Archbishop Wood team. But individually the toughest for me to guard was probably Luke Shanahan (of Pine-Richland) because he could shoot and do a lot of things.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My coaches and my trainer, too, Justice Cuthbertson.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: Something in the sports media, maybe an announcer or be on a podcast. Something where I talk about sports.
Funniest moment from this season: Obviously the bus rides, and the talks from one of our (North Hills) assistant coaches called Mugs (George Vlassich). He would just talk about random stuff to us that had no point.
TV show or series you would recommend: “Lucifer.”
Your opinion on a shot clock in Pennsylvania: I like the idea of more of a fast-paced, up-and-down game, so you can’t hold the ball.
People might be surprised to know that you …: I wasn’t very good at basketball when I was younger. I really couldn’t do anything.
Reporting: Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com & Brad Everett: beverett@post-gazette.com
Photography: Alexandra Wimley: awimley@post-gazette.com
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