Meet the third annual PUP boys basketball all-star team

Guess who’s back, back again?

When the Pittsburgh Union Progress published its all-star team back in 2023, it was expected to be the one and only. But, two years later, some of the area’s top journalists remain on strike with the Post-Gazette (it’s now been more than 29 months!), so the PUP is back again with a third installment of all-star picks.

Like the two before it, the team is loaded with talent. The first team alone includes three 2,000-point scorers and two lengthy big men who were terrors in the paint. Among those five, three are Division I signees, three led their teams to WPIAL titles, and one even experienced the sweetest of wins in leading his team to a PIAA title in Hershey.

All players in the WPIAL and City League were considered, and the team was picked by the Pittsburgh Union Progress sports staff along with assistance from high school coaches.

Introducing the 2024-25 Pittsburgh Union Progress All-Star Team.

First Team

Rowan Carmichael • Avonworth • 6-0 • Senior • Guard

This Avonworth star was worth his weight in gold, as Carmichael led the WPIAL in scoring with 31.9 points per game and powered the Antelopes to the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals for the second year in a row. After breaking the school career scoring record his junior season, Carmichael hit the 2,000-point milestone this season and finished with 2,342 points. Carmichael — or should we say “Starmichael” — was prolific from deep, shooting 40% from behind the arc and knocking down 103 3-pointers on the season. He shot 86% from the free-throw line and often filled the stat sheet as he also averaged 6.5 rebounds, 4 steals and 2.5 assists per game. He holds offers from quite a few Division II schools, among them Edinboro and Pitt-Johnstown.

Jayden Davis • Chartiers Valley • 5-11 • Senior • Guard

Davis improved his game in a big way, going from high volume shooter to high volume winner. It allowed the Colts, who went 11-12 a season ago, to claim their first WPIAL title since 2015 and advance to the PIAA semifinals for the first time since 2010. Davis poured in the points, pumping in 23.3 per game while finishing his career with 2,213. He made 62 3-pointers and shot 82% from the free-throw line. But Davis was more efficient and also did a great job of getting his teammates more involved. He averaged 3.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3 steals a game. Davis was at his best in the WPIAL Class 5A final, scoring 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting while adding 9 assists and 6 rebounds. Some Division II schools and junior colleges are showing interest.

Tyler Robbins • Upper St. Clair • 6-10 • Senior • Center

This Tyler created havoc defensively and was the top scorer and rebounder for an Upper St. Clair team that repeated as WPIAL Class 6A champion and reached the PIAA semifinals. A Miami (Ohio) recruit, Robbins tallied 15.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 58% from the field. He was also a giant force in the middle defensively for the Panthers, who surrendered only 39.8 points per game. After producing a double-double in the 2024 WPIAL title game, Robbins did it again, this time finishing with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 5 rebounds in the championship. Robbins was the hero in the PIAA quarterfinals, as his dunk with 1.2 seconds left in overtime lifted the Panthers to a thrilling win against McDowell.

Ama Sow • Montour • 6-10 • Senior • Center

Oh, mama, this Ama put together a tremendous final season for a Montour team that was ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 5A for much of the season, reached the WPIAL semifinals and finished 25-3. A native of Senegal and a Tennessee Martin recruit, Sow was a double-double machine. He finished in double figures in points and rebounds in every game, and produced a monster triple-double of 33 points, 18 rebounds and 10 blocked shots in a win against West Allegheny. Sow averaged 20.4 points, 17.5 rebounds, 3.6 blocks and 1.3 steals a game. That rebounding average included 7.6 offensive boards a game. The big guy shot it well, too. He shot 65% from the field and 80% from the free-throw line to go along with 14 3-pointers.

Courtney Wallace • Neighborhood Academy • 6-3 • Senior • Guard

When it comes to filling the stat sheet, no WPIAL player in any neighborhood was as exceptional as Wallace, who averaged a triple-double on the season. Wallace did a ton of winning, too, powering Neighborhood Academy to a 29-1 record and its first WPIAL and PIAA Class 1A titles. Not only did Wallace pump in 22.4 points a game, but this physical guard with excellent court vision also averaged 13 rebounds and 10.3 assists. Wallace had 21 points, 18 rebounds and 5 assists in the WPIAL championship, and finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 5 steals in the PIAA championship. Wallace, who helped the Bulldogs to a WPIAL runner-up finish his junior season, finished his career with 2,056 points and 1,083 rebounds. He will next play for Ivy League champion Yale.

Second Team

Drew Cook • South Allegheny • 6-1 • Junior • Guard

Let Drew cook. South Allegheny did that a lot this season, and it paid off with Cook leading the Gladiators to their first WPIAL title and to the PIAA championship game for the first time. Cook’s kitchen was the court, and he averaged a team-best 19.8 points a game in addition to 4.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.7 steals. Cook paired with Cameron Epps to give South Allegheny a dynamic backcourt, and the two actually reached 1,000 career points in the same game. Cook connected on 76 3-pointers, shot 42% from the field and 73% from the free-throw line.

Brady Mayo • Beaver • 6-1 • Senior • Guard

It seemed as if no team could hold the Mayo this season. Teams were often playing catch up against Beaver, which reached the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals and matched a program record with 20 wins. Mayo played a big part in that success, ranking among the district scoring leaders with 26.2 points per game to go along with 6.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He shot 78% from the line. Mayo, who finished with 1,751 career points, scored a career-high 45 in a win against Avonworth that earned Beaver a share of the section title. He will play football at Bucknell.

Zion Moore • Belle Vernon • 6-2 • Senior • Guard

The more you watched Moore, the more you were impressed by him. After leading all WPIAL players in scoring during the regular season as a junior, Moore ranked third this season. He averaged 24 points per game overall and drilled 51 3-pointers. Moore also joined the 2K club, as his 37-point outing against East Allegheny pushed him over 2,000 career points. He finished with 2,113. But Moore did a lot of winning, as well, leading Belle Vernon, in what was legendary coach Joe Salvino’s final season, to a section title and its first WPIAL championship since 1978.

Josh Pratt • Aliquippa • 6-2 • Junior • Guard

Pratt was all that for Aliquippa, tallying a team-best 22.2 points per game and helping the Quips reach the WPIAL final for the third year in a row and PIAA semifinals for the fourth year in a row. After leading Aliquippa to WPIAL and PIAA Class 2A titles a season earlier, Pratt drove the Quips to the WPIAL Class 3A final and scored a game-high 18 points in a championship loss. Pratt, who averaged 3.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists, pumped in 26.6 points a game in the PIAA playoffs. He holds six Division I offers and will enter his senior season with 1,155 career points.

RJ Sledge • Imani Christian • 5-11 • Senior • Guard

Sledge was once again a hammer for Imani Christian, averaging 22.1 points, 4.7 assists, 4.6 steals and 4.2 rebounds a game. In a season in which the Saints made the giant leap from Class 1A to Class 6A, Sledge led all WPIAL Class 6A players in scoring while helping the Saints reach the WPIAL quarterfinals. Sledge scored at least 33 points four times, which included a season-high 38 points against Don Bosco Prep, N.J. Few players in WPIAL history have won like Sledge, who finished his career with three WPIAL and three PIAA championships.

Third Team

Bobby Fadden • Mohawk • 6-2 • Junior • Guard

Fadden’s terrific play was no fad, as this three-year starter poured in 22.3 points per game for a Mohawk team that went 21-7 and reached the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals. While he’s only a junior, he’s already Mohawk’s all-time leading scorer. Fadden broke a record that had stood for 50 years while leading the Warriors to a PIAA first-round playoff win against Chestnut Ridge, just the fifth state playoff win in program history. He will enter his senior season with 1,702 points.

Jason Fredericks • North Catholic • 6-0 • Junior • Guard

A sharpshooting guard, Fredericks was the top scorer for a strong North Catholic team that finished as the WPIAL Class 4A runner-up and reached the PIAA semifinals. Fredericks, who teamed with fellow junior Jude Rottmann to form one of the top backcourts in the class, averaged 20 points, 4 assists and 3 steals per game. He shot 43% from 3-point range. Fredericks scored 30 points in the WPIAL semifinals and 20 in the championship game.

Notorious Grooms • Uniontown • 5-10 • Senior • Guard

Uniontown had been grooming Grooms to be a marquee player for years, and he once again came through with an excellent season. Grooms, who shared the backcourt with another star senior in Calvin Winfrey, averaged 17.6 points, 6 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.2 steals a game for Uniontown, which went perfect in section play and advanced to the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals. Grooms finished his career with 1,684 points, second most in school history.

Michael Santicola • Moon • 6-4 • Senior • Guard

Santicola provided Moon with lots of presents this season, namely points, rebounds and assists. A year after helping the Tigers win the WPIAL Class 5A title, Santicola averaged 15 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists a game while leading the team to the WPIAL quarterfinals and a PIAA playoff berth. He scored 25 points in a WPIAL first-round win against Gateway and reached 1,000 career points a week later against Latrobe. He’s headed to play for Division II national champion Nova Southeastern.

Nate Wesling • Baldwin • 6-0 • Senior • Guard

Nate was great for Highlanders, leading the team in scoring and helping them win their first section title since 1986. This came after Wesling helped them win a playoff game for the first time in 21 years and reach the WPIAL final a season earlier. Wesling averaged 18.9 points per game and went over 1,000 points for his career, a feat previously accomplished by his older brother, James. Nate finished as Baldwin’s No. 2 all-time career scorer with 1,264 points.