Tuesday basketball rundown: Montour’s star center Ama Sow wreaks havoc on West Allegheny with 33-point triple-double

In case it wasn’t already obvious to WPIAL basketball fans before, it should be abundantly clear now — Montour has a one-of-a-kind talent on its hands in Ama Sow.

A 6-foot-10 shot-blocking extraordinaire who has refined his all-around game to become one of the most dominant players in the area, Sow put his skills on full display for the Spartans in an 83-60 home win against West Allegheny in a Class 5A Section 4 clash on Tuesday night. The star senior posted a triple-double with 33 points, 15 rebounds and 10 blocked shots in another other-worldly performance for the Division I recruit, who has signed with Tennessee-Martin.

“He is kind of putting it together,” said Montour coach Bill Minear. “When he first came to us, he really hadn’t played 5-on-5. Credit to the coaching staff and how hard he has worked, and the family he lives with for providing him transportation to and from different places — you can see the combination of all of that this year.

“I think the guys around him understand what we have. They appreciate being able to play with him.”

Minear said this is the third or fourth time this season Sow has swatted away 10-plus shots in a single game. He also delivered a memorable performance in the Pittsburgh Holiday Hoops Classic on Dec. 22, registering 28 points with 20 rebounds and five blocks in a 76-37 blowout win against Lincoln Park.

No matter who the Spartans match up against this season, Sow’s towering presence should provide them with a sizable advantage in the paint — and Tuesday’s win over the Indians was no different.

“To have a rim protector that is also so active on the boards on offense — he shoots the 3, too, so you can put him anywhere,” Minear said. “It really gives us a unique team to defend, I would say.”

Aiding Sow in the victory for Montour (9-1, 4-0) were Colton Straight with 15 points and Trey Hopper with 10. Four players reached double figures for West Allegheny (5-7, 1-3), led by 13 points from Josiah Johnson.

“To be honest, I was not really pleased with our defense [tonight],” Minear said. “The first half, they really shot the ball well. They got a lot of dribble penetration. We hit shots, too, but I think we can play better defensively.”

The Spartans have faced a slew of elite foes from both inside and outside the state through its first 10 games, already holding wins against premier programs such as Upper St. Clair and Chartiers Valley — and with only one blemish on their record so far, Minear has plenty to be proud of with his team’s performance. That being said, he knows Montour still has a lot of room for improvement, so don’t expect Minear to do much celebrating at the midway point of the season.

“To West A’s credit, they made some really good shots tonight,” Minear said. “It’s still new for [our players] to have a bull’s-eye on them every game. We try to prepare them mentally, that they are going to get everybody’s best shot.”

Other boys games

• In a showdown between two of the top teams in Class 6A, defending WPIAL champion Upper St. Clair flexed its muscles and defended its home court with a 74-32 beatdown against back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA Class 1A champion Imani Christian (6-4, 4-1). Towering 6-10 big man Tyler Robbins tied with Nico Gidas for the team lead with 23 points apiece for the Panthers (12-1, 5-0), who used their massive size advantage to control the glass with a 40-24 edge in the rebounding department.

• In another marquee matchup of two title contenders in Class 4A, star senior Rowan Carmichael shined once again for Avonworth (9-1, 3-0), tallying a game-high 22 points in a 58-38 victory against Central Valley (9-2, 2-1). The win comes just four days after the WPIAL’s scoring leader erupted for 35 points in a commanding 67-42 victory against Quaker Valley. Noah Goetz added 15 points on Tuesday for the Antelopes, while Isaiah Jeter scored a team-high 20 points for the Warriors in the defeat.

• Grant Fenton scored a career-high 17 points for Fox Chapel in a hotly contested 54-52 triumph against visiting North Hills, knocking down four 3-pointers to help the Foxes stave off the Indians’ upset bid and solidify their grasp on the top spot in the Class 6A Section 1 standings. Caden Kaiser added 16 points with four rebounds and four steals for Fox Chapel (10-2, 5-0), while Nathan Shanbacher scored a game-high 19 points in the loss for North Hills (2-10, 1-4).

• Carter Tumulty led all scorers with 16 points for Moon in a 51-43 home win against Mars in Class 5A Section 4, and Michael Santicola was right behind him with 15 points for the Tigers (10-2, 3-1) in the victory. Austen Wroblewski finished with a team-high 15 points for the Planets (6-4, 2-1) to go with 11 from Austin Campbell.

• Tyler Anthony led three players in double figures for Penn-Trafford with 19 points in a 66-59 win at McKeesport in Class 5A Section 1. Brayden Stone chipped in with 15 and Zach Feldman added 12 for the Warriors (5-5, 2-3), whose balanced scoring attack was enough to overcome a 33-point performance by Lamont Perkins for the Tigers (4-8, 2-3).

• Aydan Cunningham scored a game-high 28 points to lead host McGuffey to a narrow 69-65 win against Keystone Oaks in Class 3A Section 2. Mason Nemeth added 13 points in the victory for the Highlanders (9-3, 2-1), while Erond Jakupi scored 23 to lead three players in double figures for the Golden Eagles (9-3, 2-1).

• Justin Shanor scored a game-high 30 points and pulled in 10 rebounds for Blackhawk, which also received a double-double from Tyler Heckathorn with 20 points and 17 rebounds in a 71-49 win at Lincoln Park (2-8, 0-4) in Class 5A Section 4. Carter Davis also contributed 15 points on the evening for the Cougars (4-8, 1-4).

• Ryan Wass scored a game-high 23 points for Burrell, which drained 16 3-pointers as a team in a 78-46 rout at Freeport in Class 4A Section 1. Tucker Bitar tacked on 17 points and D.J. Cosentino added 10 for the Buccaneers (5-7, 2-3), while Carson Kane finished with 12 points for the Yellowjackets (3-8, 1-3).

• Drew Wrona went on a tear from beyond the arc for Mohawk, burying six 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 28 points in a 70-42 win over Beaver Falls (0-12, 0-5) in Class 3A Section 1. Bobby Fadden drained four 3-pointers of his own while tacking on 19 points in the win for the Warriors (9-2, 3-0).

Girls games

• Torrie DeStefano led a trio of double-digit scorers with 14 points for unbeaten Penn-Trafford, which kept its perfect record intact with a 66-31 blowout at McKeesport in Class 5A Section 2. Kamryn Pieper added 11 points and Lauren Marton chipped in 10 for the Warriors (11-0, 4-0), while Emily Eisenberg finished with a team-high nine points for the Tigers (3-9, 1-4).

• Returning first-team PUP all-star Natalie Wetzel scored a game-high 21 points to lead the way for host Peters Township (11-1, 4-0), and Bri Morreale tacked on 13 points for the Indians in a 61-29 win against Albert Gallatin in Class 5A Section 4. Mya Glisan led the Colonials (4-6, 0-5) with nine points in the defeat.

• Maggie Spell led four players in double figures for Thomas Jefferson with a game-high 22 points in a 75-36 win over visiting Bethel Park in Class 5A Section 4. Kaylee DeAngelo added 17 points for the Jaguars (12-1, 4-1) to go with 10 apiece from Emma Altivilla and Ally Wilson, while Sadie Orie led the Black Hawks (6-6, 3-1) with 14 points in the losing effort.

• Lyla Jablon poured in a game-high 22 points to lead Fox Chapel to a 59-41 victory against visiting Armstrong in Class 5A Section 1. Natalia Schaffer added 18 points in the win for the Foxes (8-4, 3-1), while Marlo Mellish finished with a team-leading 15 points for the River Hawks (2-9, 1-4).

• Bella Dumbroski led all scorers with 29 points and Abby Genes followed closely behind with 24 for Serra Catholic (5-5, 4-1), which continued its turnaround from a rare 0-4 start with a 69-32 win over visiting Monessen (3-6, 1-4). Na’Jaziah Carter led the way for the Greyhounds with 17 points in the defeat to go with 12 from Madison Johnson.

Three stars

*** — Delaney Sturgeon, Ellwood City. Sturgeon was more like a surgeon in the paint against Sto-Rox, tallying 27 points with 19 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 blocked shots in a 68-44 road win for the Wolverines in Class 3A Section 1.

** — Kai Cox, New Castle. One of the area’s most heralded freshmen delivered arguably his finest performance to date, pouring in a game-high 30 points on the road for the Red Hurricanes in a 65-52 win at Pine-Richland in Class 6A Section 1.

* — Brady Mayo, Beaver. One of the top bucket-getters in the area raised his season scoring average even higher with a game-high 39 points for the Bobcats in a 69-60 win against visiting Ambridge in Class 4A Section 2. 

Hot from deep

Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Rex Roberts, Riverview, 6; Drew Wrona, Mohawk, 6; Bobby Fadden, Mohawk, 4; Grant Fenton, Fox Chapel, 4; Carter Gould, Mt. Lebanon, 4; Sam Miller, Canon-McMillan, 4; Lucas Stanley, Union, 4; Ayden Andrews, Butler, 3; Sam Chapman, Quaker Valley, 3; Jonas Cupps, Hempfield, 3; Kaylee DeAngelo, Thomas Jefferson, 3; Drake Fox, Riverside, 3; Andrew Gettinger, Butler, 3; Gavin Guinn, Hempfield, 3; Trinity Ingram, Valley, 3; Brady Mayo, Beaver, 3; Julianne Ott, Baldwin, 3; Forbes Stainton, Butler, 3; Cartier Williams, Beaver Falls, 3; Jacob Zaber, Mt. Lebanon, 3.

Boys scores

Class 6A Section 1

Fox Chapel 54, North Hills 52

New Castle 65, Pine-Richland 52

Seneca Valley 58, Butler 52

Woodland Hills 43, North Allegheny 39

Class 6A Section 2

Central Catholic 62, Norwin 45

Hempfield 66, Canon-McMillan 47

Mt. Lebanon 77, Connellsville 42

Upper St. Clair 74, Imani Christian 32

Class 5A Section 1

Latrobe 68, Franklin Regional 49

Laurel Highlands 56, Albert Gallatin 43

Penn-Trafford 66, McKeesport 59

Uniontown 82, Gateway 73

Class 5A Section 2

Indiana 60, Armstrong 57

Kiski Area 64, Shaler 44

Penn Hills 79, Plum 57

Class 5A Section 3

Baldwin 72, Ringgold 29

Bethel Park 52, Thomas Jefferson 48

Peters Township 62, South Fayette 50

Class 5A Section 4

Blackhawk 71, Lincoln Park 49

Montour 83, West Allegheny 60

Moon 51, Mars 43

Class 4A Section 1

Burrell 78, Freeport 46

Deer Lakes 45, Knoch 38

North Catholic 92, Highlands 71

Class 4A Section 2

Avonworth 58, Central Valley 38

Beaver 69, Ambridge 60

Quaker Valley 61, Hopewell 40

Class 4A Section 3

Belle Vernon 85, East Allegheny 60

Derry 68, Yough 38

Elizabeth Forward 76, West Mifflin 37

Class 3A Section 1

Aliquippa 84, New Brighton 24

Mohawk 70, Beaver Falls 42

Riverside 56, Freedom 37

Class 3A Section 2

Bishop Canevin 66, Carlynton 39

McGuffey 69, Keystone Oaks 65

Class 3A Section 3

Shady Side Academy 69, Apollo-Ridge 29

South Allegheny 72, Seton LaSalle 41

South Park 41, Steel Valley 23

Class 3A Section 4

Charleroi 60, Mount Pleasant 44

Southmoreland 72, Waynesburg 62

Class 2A Section 1

Clairton 64, Bentworth 52

Greensburg C.C. 77, Riverview 58

Jeannette 70, Springdale 40

Class 2A Section 2

Brentwood 68, Leechburg 53

Northgate 75, Winchester Thurston 45

Sewickley Academy 70, Propel Braddock Hills 23

Class 2A Section 3

Fort Cherry 47, Jefferson-Morgan 43

Class 2A Section 4

Neshannock 88, Western Beaver 34

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 57, Shenango 52 (OT)

South Side 63, Laurel 33

Union 55, Rochester 26

Class 1A Section 1

Aquinas Academy 83, Beaver County Christian 55

Nazareth Prep 75, Summit Academy 53

Class 1A Section 2

Monessen 74, Environmental Charter 33

Serra Catholic 64, St. Joseph 31

City League

Allderdice 71, Brashear 31

Obama Academy 54, Carrick 49

Westinghouse 53, Perry 45

Non-section

Hampton 74, Valley 48

Girls scores

Class 6A Section 1

North Allegheny 63, Woodland Hills 31

Class 6A Section 2

Canon-McMillan 51, Hempfield 32

Mt. Lebanon 53, Connellsville 31

Class 5A Section 1

Fox Chapel 59, Armstrong 41

Plum 39, Penn Hills 29

Class 5A Section 2

Indiana 48, Latrobe 44

Kiski Area 53, West Mifflin 30

Penn-Trafford 66, McKeesport 31

Class 5A Section 4

Baldwin 83, Uniontown 13

Peters Township 61, Albert Gallatin 29

Thomas Jefferson 75, Bethel Park 36

Class 4A Section 1

Oakland Catholic 70, Valley 37

Class 4A Section 2

Hopewell 53, Ambridge 8

Class 4A Section 3

Mount Pleasant 44, Southmoreland 23

South Park 54, Ringgold 16

Class 3A Section 1

Ellwood City 68, Sto-Rox 44

Class 3A Section 3

McGuffey 52, Waynesburg 34

Class 1A Section 2

Clairton 83, Avella 41

Serra Catholic 69, Monessen 32

City League

Allderdice 69, Brashear 15

Obama Academy 67, Carrick 32

Perry 43, Westinghouse 26

Non-section

Jeannette 49, Steel Valley 14

Franklin Regional 62, Greensburg Salem 39