Class 6A
Player of the Year: Tyler Robbins, Upper St. Clair
While seniors Christian Ito and Brett Meinert took turns as the heroes in the playoffs, 6'9'' junior Tyler Robbins consistently excelled for the Panthers. Robbins scored 382 points (13.6 ppg) with 318 rebounds (11.3 rpg) and 155 blocks (5.5 bpg) throughout the season. He capped it off with an impressive performance, scoring 22 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and making five blocks in the WPIAL 6A title game, leading his team to a 64-41 victory over Baldwin.
Coach of the Year: Danny Holzer, Upper St. Clair
After a WPIAL semifinals loss and a PIAA first-round exit in 2023, Upper St. Clair started their 2024 campaign for a fourth title with only two seniors. USC fell one game short of another section title, but the No. 3 seed Panthers won the rubber game of their three-game set against Baldwin in the WPIAL title game, 64-41. Holzer guided USC to a pair of state playoff wins.
Class 5A
Player of the Year: Elijah Guillory, Moon
Senior Elijah Guillory led Moon with 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He will continue his basketball career at Youngstown State.. Guillory led Moon with 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game. The senior will be playing his college basketball at Youngstown State.
Coach of the Year: Jesse Reed, Franklin Regional
Franklin Regional reached the WPIAL finals but lost a heartbreaker to Moon, 53-48. Revenge belonged to the Panthers, who knocked off the Tigers in the state semifinals before losing to perennial 5A power Imhotep Charter in the state title game, 59-48.
Class 4A
Players of the Year: Brandin Cummings and Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park
Brandin Cummings averaged 23.8 points and Meleek Thomas averaged 22.7 points and 10.4 rebounds, helping Lincoln Park repeat as WPIAL and PIAA Class 4A champions. In the district playoffs, the two combined for high scores, and in the state playoffs, they were even more impressive. Cummings will play his college basketball at Pitt while Thomas has received numerous Division I offers. being flooded by Division I offers.
Coach of the Year: Mike Bariski, Lincoln Park
Once again this season, Lincoln Park’s athletic director challenged the boys basketball coach with a tough nonsection schedule that included trips to Erie and Salem, Ore. Fortunately, the head coach likes the AD since they are, in fact, the same person. For the second straight year, the Leopards were undefeated in Section 2-4A, won the school’s seventh WPIAL championship and then captured its second straight PIAA championship and fourth in Bariski’s 15 years as head coach.
Class 3A
Player of the Year: Joseph Roth, Ellwood City
The 6-5 senior averaged 25.2 points, 14.6 rebounds 6.1 assists, 2.9 blocks and 2.1 steals. He surpassed the 2,000-point milestone for his career in an overtime loss to Deer Lakes in the WPIAL quarterfinals. He plans to go to Ohio State next year as a swimmer.
Albie Fletcher from Deer Lakes is the Coach of the Year.
After guiding the Lancers to their first WPIAL championship last season and seeing several main players graduate, many thought Deer Lakes would regress.But those people were mistaken. Deer Lakes managed to secure the Section 3-3A crown and then defeated Sto-Rox, Ellwood City, Neshannock and Burrell to defend their 3A district title..
Class 2A
Josh Pratt from Aliquippa is named Player of the Year.
The young player averaged 17 points and delivered outstanding performances in the playoffs, scoring 33 points in the WPIAL 2A final with a 37-point victory over Greensburg Central Catholic and 36 points in the PIAA state championship win over Holy Cross.
Nick Lackovich from Aliquippa is the Coach of the Year.
In the fourth year of his second term as coach of the Quips boys basketball team, Lackovich has led his team to four WPIAL championships, two state titles and two PIAA runner-up trophies in his combined seven years at Aliquippa. Aliquippa secured the WPIAL 2A crown with a 37-point victory over Greensburg Central Catholic, then claimed its first PIAA title since 2016.
Class A
Nate Brazil and R.J. Sledge from Imani Christian Academy are named Players of the Year.
Sledge scored 22 points in the state title win over Berlin-Brothersvalley. To get to the finals, the Saints relied on senior Brazil, who surpassed 1,000 career points, scoring 48 points in Imani’s semifinal win over Bishop Carroll. He also led the Saints with 17 points in the WPIAL title game and scored 18 in the state championship game.
Khayree Wilson from Imani Christian Academy is the Coach of the Year.
An assistant coach last year, Wilson took over for Omar Foster. The team's style changed, but the results stayed consistent. Imani traveled to various places before dominating their section and winning WPIAL and PIAA titles with an average margin of victory in the postseason of more than 26 points per game.
