The Best Of the Best Girls Hoopers
-
THE CHOPS
- Official BleacherCoach
- Posts: 1900
- Joined: October 24th, 2003, 10:42 am
- Location: SCOTTDALE, PA.
The Best Of the Best Girls Hoopers
2006-2007 MSA SPORTS GIRLS ALL-NETTERS ........................
3/28/2007 -
If making your team better is a mark of a talented player, then all five of the girls on the MSA All-Netters first team are very good. Three of the five girls won WPIAL titles this season – New Castle’s Jalessa Sams, Greensburg Central Catholic’s Ashley Henderson and North Catholic’s April Austin. Another one, Oakland Catholic’s Erica Prosser, helped her team to a WPIAL title game. And the fifth girl, Southmoreland’s Vanessa Abel, led her team to the best season in school history.
All five players also are headed to Division I colleges. Here is a look at the first- and second-team players on the MSA All-Netters WPIAL Girls’ Team.
MSA SPORTS FIRST TEAM:
Jaleesa Sams, New Castle
Many considered her the best player in the WPIAL this season. There wasn’t much Sams didn’t do for New Castle. She had triple doubles in games this season. For example, in one regular season game, she had 27 points, 15 rebounds, 10 steals and five assists. In a WPIAL playoff game, she had 23 points, 20 rebounds and eight steals.
Sams, a 5-11 senior guard, averaged 19 a game and led New Castle to the WPIAL Class (AAAA) championship. She played in the title game despite a bruised knee suffered in the semifinals. She became a more versatile player this season.
“She’s now able to shoot the outside shot,” said New Castle coach Luann Grybowski. “People can no longer play off her and try to keep her from driving.”
Sams was a four-year starter at New Castle and finished her career with 1,909 points. She has signed with North Carolina A & T, an NCAA Division I college.
Erica Prosser, Oakland Catholic
Basketball talent runs in the Prosser family. Her father played Division I basketball at Canisius. Her brother, Gavin, was an outstanding point guard at Point Park this season. Prosser showed off her talents, helping Oakland Catholic to the WPIAL Class (AAAA) championship game.
A 5-8 senior guard, Prosser averaged 14 points a game. She was a four-year starter and played in the WPIAL title game every season, winning two championships. One of her biggest attributes is her defensive play.
“She can really do a lot of things and can hurt you in many different ways,” said Oakland Catholic coach Rich Irr. “She’s so versatile and really did so many things for us.”
Prosser, an excellent student, will play next season at Lehigh.
Vanessa Abel, Southmoreland
This 5-7 senior guard certainly was able to lead Southmoreland to a memorable season. She was the main reason Southmoreland won the first section title and first WPIAL playoff game in school history.
“A lot of people didn’t know about her, but anyone who saw her play came away very impressed,” said Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts.
Abel led the WPIAL in scoring during the regular season, averaging 28 points a game. She finished her career with 2,327 points. She will play next season at West Virginia University.
Ashley Henderson, Greensburg Central Catholic
A 5-11 senior guard, Henderson was versatile enough to play point guard, but also score from down low. She helped Greensburg Central Catholic win the WPIAL Class AA championship for the second year in a row.
“Ashley Henderson has played like a true champion in her four years here,” said Greensburg Central Catholic coach Rich Rosensteel said. “We're certainly going to miss Ashley.”
Henderson averaged 17 points a game this season and finished her career with 1,725 poiints. She will play next season for Agnus Berenato at the University of Pittsburgh.
April Austin, North Catholic
Austin is a 5-6 senior point guard who has been making her mark on the North Catholic Trojanettes’ team for four seasons. She finished her career with well over 1,000 career points and this year led North Catholic to the WPIAL Class (A) championship and the PIAA title game.
She averaged 14 points a game during the regular season and her average increased in the playoffs, when her play seemed to go up another level.
Austin has signed with the University of Dayton.
MSA SPORTS SECOND TEAM:
Alex Gensler, Upper St. Clair
Only a junior, this 5-10 forward will be a good bet to make first-team All-Netters next season. She helped Upper St. Clair to the PIAA semifinals, averaging 18 points a game. She took her game to another level in the postseason, averaging over 20 points a game.
Shayla Scott, Gateway
The only returning starter at Gateway this season, Scott helped the Gators reach the WPIAL playoffs. A 6-1 guard-forward, Scott averaged 19 points and 9 rebounds a game, playing for her mother Jennifer Bruce Scott. Shayla has signed with Pitt.
Becky Novacek, Hopewell
A volleyball star, Novacek also is a force on the basketball court, helping Hopewell win two consecutive WPIAL Class (AAA )championships. She combined with her twin sister, Joyce, to form the most formidable one-two inside punch in the WPIAL. Becky, a 6-1 forward, will play volleyball next season at Dayton.
Joyce Novacek, Hopewell
The other half of the “twin towers” for Hopewell. A 6-2 forward, Joyce averaged in double figures the past three seasons and will play next season at Bucknell.
Samantha Loadman, Bethel Park
A 5-9 senior point guard and the leader of a Bethel Park team that reached the WPIAL Class (AAAA) semifinals. She averaged 15 points a game and will play next season at Mercyhurst.
THE CHOPS....
3/28/2007 -
If making your team better is a mark of a talented player, then all five of the girls on the MSA All-Netters first team are very good. Three of the five girls won WPIAL titles this season – New Castle’s Jalessa Sams, Greensburg Central Catholic’s Ashley Henderson and North Catholic’s April Austin. Another one, Oakland Catholic’s Erica Prosser, helped her team to a WPIAL title game. And the fifth girl, Southmoreland’s Vanessa Abel, led her team to the best season in school history.
All five players also are headed to Division I colleges. Here is a look at the first- and second-team players on the MSA All-Netters WPIAL Girls’ Team.
MSA SPORTS FIRST TEAM:
Jaleesa Sams, New Castle
Many considered her the best player in the WPIAL this season. There wasn’t much Sams didn’t do for New Castle. She had triple doubles in games this season. For example, in one regular season game, she had 27 points, 15 rebounds, 10 steals and five assists. In a WPIAL playoff game, she had 23 points, 20 rebounds and eight steals.
Sams, a 5-11 senior guard, averaged 19 a game and led New Castle to the WPIAL Class (AAAA) championship. She played in the title game despite a bruised knee suffered in the semifinals. She became a more versatile player this season.
“She’s now able to shoot the outside shot,” said New Castle coach Luann Grybowski. “People can no longer play off her and try to keep her from driving.”
Sams was a four-year starter at New Castle and finished her career with 1,909 points. She has signed with North Carolina A & T, an NCAA Division I college.
Erica Prosser, Oakland Catholic
Basketball talent runs in the Prosser family. Her father played Division I basketball at Canisius. Her brother, Gavin, was an outstanding point guard at Point Park this season. Prosser showed off her talents, helping Oakland Catholic to the WPIAL Class (AAAA) championship game.
A 5-8 senior guard, Prosser averaged 14 points a game. She was a four-year starter and played in the WPIAL title game every season, winning two championships. One of her biggest attributes is her defensive play.
“She can really do a lot of things and can hurt you in many different ways,” said Oakland Catholic coach Rich Irr. “She’s so versatile and really did so many things for us.”
Prosser, an excellent student, will play next season at Lehigh.
Vanessa Abel, Southmoreland
This 5-7 senior guard certainly was able to lead Southmoreland to a memorable season. She was the main reason Southmoreland won the first section title and first WPIAL playoff game in school history.
“A lot of people didn’t know about her, but anyone who saw her play came away very impressed,” said Southmoreland coach Brian Pritts.
Abel led the WPIAL in scoring during the regular season, averaging 28 points a game. She finished her career with 2,327 points. She will play next season at West Virginia University.
Ashley Henderson, Greensburg Central Catholic
A 5-11 senior guard, Henderson was versatile enough to play point guard, but also score from down low. She helped Greensburg Central Catholic win the WPIAL Class AA championship for the second year in a row.
“Ashley Henderson has played like a true champion in her four years here,” said Greensburg Central Catholic coach Rich Rosensteel said. “We're certainly going to miss Ashley.”
Henderson averaged 17 points a game this season and finished her career with 1,725 poiints. She will play next season for Agnus Berenato at the University of Pittsburgh.
April Austin, North Catholic
Austin is a 5-6 senior point guard who has been making her mark on the North Catholic Trojanettes’ team for four seasons. She finished her career with well over 1,000 career points and this year led North Catholic to the WPIAL Class (A) championship and the PIAA title game.
She averaged 14 points a game during the regular season and her average increased in the playoffs, when her play seemed to go up another level.
Austin has signed with the University of Dayton.
MSA SPORTS SECOND TEAM:
Alex Gensler, Upper St. Clair
Only a junior, this 5-10 forward will be a good bet to make first-team All-Netters next season. She helped Upper St. Clair to the PIAA semifinals, averaging 18 points a game. She took her game to another level in the postseason, averaging over 20 points a game.
Shayla Scott, Gateway
The only returning starter at Gateway this season, Scott helped the Gators reach the WPIAL playoffs. A 6-1 guard-forward, Scott averaged 19 points and 9 rebounds a game, playing for her mother Jennifer Bruce Scott. Shayla has signed with Pitt.
Becky Novacek, Hopewell
A volleyball star, Novacek also is a force on the basketball court, helping Hopewell win two consecutive WPIAL Class (AAA )championships. She combined with her twin sister, Joyce, to form the most formidable one-two inside punch in the WPIAL. Becky, a 6-1 forward, will play volleyball next season at Dayton.
Joyce Novacek, Hopewell
The other half of the “twin towers” for Hopewell. A 6-2 forward, Joyce averaged in double figures the past three seasons and will play next season at Bucknell.
Samantha Loadman, Bethel Park
A 5-9 senior point guard and the leader of a Bethel Park team that reached the WPIAL Class (AAAA) semifinals. She averaged 15 points a game and will play next season at Mercyhurst.
THE CHOPS....