In his decorated four-year career from 2019-23, Vinnie Cugini became the WPIAL’s all-time leading scorer while putting Aquinas Academy boys basketball on the map.
Now, thanks to players such as Jake Guillen, the foundation laid by Cugini is being carried over into the next chapter
A three-year starter who is one of the only remaining players who played alongside Cugini and the Crusaders, Guillen scored 18 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter to propel Aquinas to a 94-67 victory against visiting Waynesburg (0-5) Friday night in a non-section showdown. With his final free throw late in the fourth quarter, Guillen joined Cugini as the second player in school history to reach 1,000 points in his career.
“It was special,” Crusaders coach George Yokitis said. “We had such a nice student section. Jake is an all-basketball, all-the-time-kind of kid and a great student. It was nice to see so much of the student body of our little school be there. They had like 50 of the big heads going.
“He’s a good kid. He really deserves it. He works very hard on his game, and it’s nice to see it come to fruition for him.”
The lopsided win for Aquinas (5-1) actually appeared to be in jeopardy for a moment when Waynesburg cut the deficit to four early in the fourth quarter. But that’s when Guillen caught fire, and his teammates did everything they could to feed him while he had the hot hand down the stretch.
“They were really trying to stop him,” Yokitis said about Waynesburg. “They had like four guys on him, because they knew. A couple kids said, ‘We’re not letting you get 1,000.’ That’s what they should do.”
Sam Duer had an outstanding game in his own right for the Crusaders, finishing with 28 points while David Zaharko chipped in with 12. Cole Headlee led the way for Waynesburg with 22 points to go with 14 from Dame Woods, 12 from Alex Eck and 10 from Austin Surber.
“It was remarkable how Sam wanted to see Jake get those points,” Yokitis said. “He must have had five steals in the last few minutes of the game. … Sam is a very good player. He’s about the best pure shooter we’ve ever had. And he’s very athletic.”
After Guillen converted a free throw to reach the 1,000-point milestone, the game came to a brief halt as the Crusaders unveiled a ceremonial banner and commemorative basketball for Guillen with the number “1,000” written on it. Yokitis said the school’s boosters in charge of the festivities joked that they already had plenty of practice organizing ceremonies like this, thanks to Cugini and his high-scoring exploits.
“We had all this planned with a nice ball and a banner,” Yokitis said. “We didn’t know he would get 29, because it’s hard to get 29. Then he only had 7 [at halftime], so we had written that off. Then our next game is at Summit, and I said, ‘That would be too bad if he gets it on the road.’
“I give credit to those kids. They were determined to stop him.”
Now riding a five-game winning streak after a season-opening loss to Avonworth while averaging 84.6 points per game, Aquinas is maintaining its high-scoring ways even with Cugini no longer around. And with players such as Guillen and Duer leading the way, there’s a chance this could be the Crusaders’ most well-rounded team yet in Yokitis’ seven-year stint as head coach.
“That was a lot of fun for us. The kids have come so far,” Yokitis said. “It’s so nice to see the other kids care about it and be so supportive of their classmates. And you could tell, it was so genuine. It was like we were playing for the WPIAL championship or something. It was really nice to see.”
Other boys games
• Tyler Robbins and Jake Foster led the way with 16 points apiece for reigning WPIAL Class 6A champion Upper St. Clair (5-0, 2-0), which relied on its suffocating defense to stave off visiting Central Catholic (1-2, 0-1) in a 46-31. The victory marked career win No. 501 for Panthers coach Danny Holzer, who became the WPIAL’s 21st member of the 500-win club earlier in the week. Enzo Khalil led the Vikings with 9 points.
• Sam Deibert scored a game-high 24 points to lead the way for host Mt. Lebanon, which pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 58-38 win against Hempfield in Class 6A Section 2. Carter Gould chipped in with 14 points and four 3-pointers for the Blue Devils (3-1, 1-0), while Drew Gordon scored 13 points and Danny Husenits added 10 for the Spartans (3-2, 0-1).
• Nathan Shanbacher and Zach Pollaro combined to score 50 of 59 points for North Hills (1-3, 0-1), but it wasn’t enough to overcome a balanced attack for host New Castle, which prevailed with a 70-59 triumph to remain undefeated. Ralphie Blundo led four players in double figures for the Red Hurricanes with 24 points, while freshman Kai Cox added 16 for New Castle (5-0, 1-0).
• Nate Wesling paced four players in double figures for Baldwin with a game-high 18 points in a 72-31 home win against Brashear (1-6). Max Marzina tacked on 12 points to go along with 11 from Matt Schenk and 10 from Jackson Sgattoni for the unbeaten Highlanders (5-0). Kesean Jones led the Bulls with 11 points.
• Jayden Davis and Logan Helfrick led four double-digit scorers for Chartiers Valley with 14 points apiece, aided by 12 from Julian Semplice and 11 from Julius Best, in a 73-41 rout for the Colts (6-0, 1-0) at West Allegheny. Donovan O’Connor scored a game-high 17 points for the Indians (2-4, 0-1) to go with 15 from Josiah Johnson.
• McKeesport went into the fourth quarter trailing by seven at home against Laurel Highlands, but the Tigers turned it on in the final quarter to eke out a 63-58 win in Class 5A Section 1. Brian Jones scored a team-high 22 points for McKeesport (2-4, 1-0) to go with 13 from Daryl McCullough. Antwan Black led all scorers with 26 points for the Mustangs (2-3, 0-1).
• Brady Mayo poured in a game-high 30 points while converting 11-11 from the free-throw line for unbeaten Beaver (6-0) in a 60-50 non-section win at Northgate (1-3). Logan Weiland added 13 points for the Bobcats. Des Williams scored a team-leading 15 points for the Flames to go with 10 points each from Ty Daniels and Ron McKinley.
• Erond Jakupi led a trio of double-digit scorers with 23 points for Keystone Oaks (6-0) to go with 18 from Tulio Watts and 11 from Joseph Colton in a 67-58 non-section win against visiting Seton LaSalle (1-4). Keenu Brooks scored a team-high 18 points for the Rebels, while Patrick Weldon contributed 13 and Brady Walsh 11.
• Aaron Lake posted a double-double with 27 points and 17 rebounds for Ellwood City in a commanding 61-36 victory against visiting Freedom (0-4, 0-1) in Class 3A Section 1. Chris Smiley added 13 points and Maykel Cuevas tacked on 12 for the Wolverines (3-3, 1-0). Will Kumrow led the Bulldogs with 10 points.
Girls games
• Defending WPIAL Class 6A champion Norwin ran into one of the toughest teams in the state in District 1 powerhouse Perkiomen Valley (3-0), which traveled into the Knights’ home gym and emerged with a resounding 56-34 victory. Grace Miley led all scorers with 25 points for Perkiomen Valley, while Kendall Berger finished with 8 for Norwin (3-2).
• Aubree Hupp led all scorers with 25 points for reigning PIAA Class 4A champion Blackhawk (5-1), which turned away visiting Pine-Richland for a 52-38 non-section win. Rebekah Shaffer tallied a team-high 16 points for the Rams (0-5).
• Taylor Schumacher tallied a game-high 25 points and Lexi Ewig narrowly missed out on a triple-double with 11 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists for McGuffey (4-1), which cruised to a a 57-24 non-section victory at Southmoreland (2-5).
Three stars
*** — Milani Oliver, Penn Hills. It wasn’t enough to pull out a victory against Fox Chapel, but Oliver notched a career-high 31 points while converting 9-9 free-throw attempts in a 54-50 loss in Class 5A Section 1.
** — Drew Navetta, Mars. The sharp-shooting senior converted eight 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 26 points for the Planets in an 83-53 win against visiting Mars in Class 5A Section 4.
* — Zion Moore, Belle Vernon. The reigning WPIAL scoring champ is picking up right where he left off last season for the Leopards. Moore finished with a game-high 35 points in a 92-82 win at West Mifflin.
Hot from deep
Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Drew Navetta, Mars, 8; Ralphie Blundo, New Castle, 5; Josiah Johnson, West Allegheny, 5; Nathan Schanbacher, North Hills 5; Zach Washington, Quaker Valley, 5; Logan Helfrick, Chartiers Valley, 4; Griff Jarrell, Hampton, 4; Zach Pollaro, North Hills, 4; Tulio Watts, Keystone Oaks, 4; Austen Wroblewski, Mars, 4; Nic Cohen, Quaker Valley, 3; Liam Gallagher, Greensburg Central Catholic, 3; Jake Johnson, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 3; Stone Markham, Jeannette, 3; Brady Mayo, Beaver, 3; Nate Schwartz, Western Beaver, 3; Matt Sopko, Neshannock, 3.
Boys scores
Class 6A Section 1
Fox Chapel 52, Seneca Valley 41
New Castlte 70, North Hills 59
North Allegheny 66, Butler 56
Pine-Richland 65, Woodland Hills 58
Class 6A Section 2
Mt. Lebanon 58, Hempfield 38
Norwin 64, Connellsville 47
Upper St. Clair 46, Central Catholic 31
Class 5A Section 1
Latrobe 75, Gateway 71
McKeesport 63, Laurel Highlands 58
Penn-Trafford 59, Franklin Regional 54 (OT)
Uniontown 74, Albert Gallatin 49
Class 5A Section 2
Penn Hills 54, Indiana 46
Plum 74, Hampton 49
Class 5A Section 3
Peters Township 63, Thomas Jefferson 42
Trinity 61, Bethel Park 57 (OT)
Class 5A Section 4
Chartiers Valley 73, West Allegheny 41
Mars 83, Blackhawk 53
Class 4A Section 1
Burrell 44, Highlands 32
Deer Lakes 71, Freeport 36
Knoch 74, Valley 39
Class 4A Section 3
Belle Vernon 92, West Mifflin 82
Derry 62, East Allegheny 39
Greensburg Salem 67, Yough 36
Class 3A Section 1
Aliquippa 93, Beaver Falls 14
Ellwood City 61, Freedom 36
Mohawk 61, Riverside 42
Class 2A Section 1
Clairton 78, Springdale 59
Greensburg C.C. 89, Frazier 45
Jeannette 76, California 43
Riverview 57, Bentworth 47
Class 2A Section 2
Leechburg 51, Propel Braddock Hills 47
Sewickley Academy 58, Eden Christian 33
Winchester Thurston 78, Brentwood 63
Class 2A Section 3
Beth-Center 55, Mapletown 19
Chartiers-Houston 49, Fort Cherry 43
Jefferson-Morgan 66, Burgettstown 44
Class 2A Section 4
Neshannock 49, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 42
Rochester 63, Western Beaver 55
Shenango 55, South Side 51
Union 53, Laurel 25
Non-section
Aquinas Academy 94, Waynesburg 67
Baldwin 72, Brashear 31
Beaver 60, Northgate 50
Carlynton 82, Avella 45
Central Valley 73, Bishop Canevin 45
Hopewell 67, New Brighton 60
Keystone Oaks 67, Seton LaSalle 58
Kiski Area 68, Shady Side Academy 38
Ligonier Valley 72, Geibel Catholic 57
McGuffey 55, Brownsville 30
Monessen 61, Charleroi 38
Nazareth Prep 85, Environmental Charter 37
Propel Montour 70, Cornell 57
Quaker Valley 62, Carrick 49
Slippery Rock 70, Perry 31
South Allegheny 74, Washington 35
Girls scores
Class 5A Section 1
Fox Chapel 54, Penn Hills 50
Class 5A Section 2
Indiana 39, McKeesport 20
Non-section
Blackhawk 52, Pine-Richland 38
Brashear 52, Nazareth Prep 6
Carrick 40, Bentworth 27
Connellsville 49, Burrell 41
Hempfield 50, Plum 22
McGuffey 57, Southmoreland 24
Morgantown, W.Va., 55, Laurel Highlands 53
Perkiomen Valley 56, Norwin 34
Sto-Rox 46, Carlynton 22
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
