Thursday basketball rundown: Iyanna Wade scores career-high 56 in Clairton win; Mt. Lebanon uses late rally to beat Canon-McMillan; Baldwin boys hand Upper St. Clair first section loss

The leading scorer in the WPIAL produced a career-best performance Thursday.

Clairton’s Iyanna Wade scored 56 points, the most by any WPIAL boys or girls player this season, while leading the Bears to a 73-55 win at Winchester Thurston in Class 2A Section 3.

Wade, who achieved her previous high of 50 twice, including once earlier this month, knocked down six 3-pointers against Winchester Thurston (6-8, 3-3) and scored all 23 of her team’s points in the third quarter, one in which Clairton (11-2, 4-2) held a 10-point scoring edge. Wade, a 5-foot-4 junior guard, also scored 16 points in the first quarter, nine in the second and eight in the fourth.

The latest scoring outburst by Wade lifted her season average to 40 points per game, by far the top mark in the WPIAL. She has scored at least 30 points in every game and has at least 40 in six games. A season ago, Wade led the WPIAL in scoring after pumping in 33.3 points a game.

Wade’s 56 points were not a school record. Clairton great Kam Gissendanner once scored 60 in a game and is also the all-time career scorer at Clairton with 2,703 points. Wade’s career total now stands at 1,591.

Wade was the only Clairton player to score in double-digits Thursday, while Jasmine Hollins led Winchester Thurston with 15 points.

Other girls games

• Payton Collins had 18 points and Mt. Lebanon (8-7, 4-3) used a fourth-quarter rally to topple visiting Canon-McMillan (10-6, 3-4), 56-46, in Class 6A Section 2. Mt. Lebanon trailed, 37-31, after three quarters before outscoring the Big Macs, 25-9, in the fourth. Nadia Davis led Canon-McMillan with 18 points.

• Kaylee Charles scored 23 points to help McKeesport (12-2) rebound from just its second loss with a 62-44 home win against South Fayette (8-6) in a non-section game. Charles tallied 10 of her points in the second quarter when the Tigers outscored South Fayette, 18-10. South Fayette got 18 points from Juliette Leroux.

• Emma Paul scored 19 points and Armstrong (11-4, 5-2) increased its win streak to six courtesy of a 40-37 win at Shaler (5-11, 2-5) in Class 5A Section 2. Bayleigh Perez scored 21 points for Shaler, which was outscored, 13-3, in the second quarter.

• London Creach scored a season-high 26 points to keep Oakland Catholic (16-0, 7-0) unbeaten following a 66-47 win against visiting Latrobe (7-9, 3-4) in Class 5A Section 3. Elle Snyder scored 17 points for Latrobe, including the 1,000th of her career.

• Jaedin Griggs’ 23 points propelled Moon (10-4) to a 66-39 non-section win at South Park (9-5). Maria Depner added 14 points for the Tigers, who won their third game in a row. Emily Mihelcic and Addy Kerr scored 10 points apiece for South Park.

• Brady Wehner had 18 points and Alayna Rocco chipped in 17 to help North Catholic (9-4, 7-0) run its section win streak to 98 games following a 43-39 home win against Highlands (10-5, 5-2) in Class 4A Section 1. Shelby Wojcik scored 16 points for Highlands, which trailed by eight after three quarters.

• Raney Staub poured in 30 points to lead host Fort Cherry (10-4) to a 71-38 non-section win against McGuffey (12-3). The Rangers led, 41-18, at the half. Taylor Schumacher paced McGuffey with 19 points.

• Kylie Fruehstorfer scored 23 points and Kelly Cleaver added 22 to vault Union (11-5) to its sixth win in a row, 62-34, at Ellwood City (11-6) in non-section play. Cleaver added 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals for the Scotties, who outscored Ellwood City, 45-19, in the first half. Kayla Jones led Ellwood City with 18 points.

North Catholic’s Max Hurray (21) cheers on his team against Ambridge on Thursday. Hurray made five 3-pointers and scored 21 points to lead North Catholic to a 101-51 win. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Boys games

• Baldwin (11-3, 4-1) went on the road and handed Upper St. Clair (10-4, 4-1) its first section loss, 55-54, in Class 6A Section 2. Matt Schenk scored 16 points for the Highlanders, who have won four games in a row. Tyler Robbins and Kaamil Jackson scored 15 points apiece for Upper St. Clair, which had its seven-game win streak snapped.

• Max Hurray and Justin Kontul made five 3-pointers apiece and combined to score 36 points to lead North Catholic (10-5, 6-1) to its sixth consecutive win, 101-51, against visiting Ambridge (6-10, 3-3) in Class 4A Section 2. Hurray finished with 21 points and Kontul 15.

• Mohawk (10-6) ran its win streak to seven following a 61-50 triumph at Shenango (9-6) in non-section action. Jay Wrona led the Warriors with 20 points and Bobby Fadden tacked on 19. Brody McQuiston paced Shenango with 20 points.

• Lucas Stanley scored 24 points and Braylon Thomas added 19 to push host Union (7-9, 4-1) to a 79-57 win against Avella (8-8, 3-2) in Class 1A Section 1. The Scotties led, 44-27, at the half. Westley Burchianti led Avella with 19 points and Bryce Wright had 17.

Three stars

*** — Ava Frank, Avella. Frank pumped in 35 points to help Avella (3-12, 1-4) end a five-game losing streak courtesy of a 49-45 victory against Jefferson-Morgan (2-13, 0-5) in Class 1A Section 2.

** — Shaye Bailey, Freedom. Bailey scored 20 of her game-high 22 points in the second half to help Freedom (7-8, 5-2) rally from an 11-point halftime deficit to claim a 54-48 win at South Side (9-7, 3-4) in Class 2A Section 1.

* — Kai West, Seneca Valley. West scored 11 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter to help Seneca Valley (5-11) capture a 73-59 non-section win against visiting Blackhawk. The Raiders outscored Blackhawk, 26-12, in the fourth quarter.

Hot from deep

Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Leighana Gooden, Jefferson-Morgan, 5; Max Hurray, North Catholic, 5; Justin Kontul, North Catholic, 5; Kai West, Seneca Valley, 5; Bella Cameron, Union, 5; Kylie Fruehstorfer, Union, 5; Justin Shanor, Blackhawk, 4; Vinny Manzella, California, 3; Jacob Ziolecki, California, 4; Kayla Jones, Ellwood City, 4; Brady Wehner, North Catholic, 4; Nate Franitti, Blackhawk, 3; Bobby Fadden, Mohawk, 3; Alayna Rocco, North Catholic, 3; Jude Rottmann, North Catholic, 3; Olivia Terlecki, Upper St. Clair, 3.