The final week of WPIAL basketball play is here, with the semifinals concluding and the title games taking place this weekend on KDKA Radio. But today we look back at last week's top players.
Throughout the season, KDKA Radio will put together a watch list of some of the best boys and girls basketball players in the region. At the end of the year, the top performer from each WPIAL classification, and one member of the Pittsburgh City League, will receive the prestigious KDKA Super 7 Award.
Here are the top performers from last week:
Rachael Manfredo, McKeesport
McKeesport’s girls team has had a tremendous season and Manfredo has been the catalyst.
Last week, the Tigers won a pair of playoff games behind her efforts.
First, she scored 14 points against Hampton in a 49-46 win in the WPIAL first round. She then went for 16 points in a 50-41 win over Indiana to advance McKeesport to Tuesday’s semifinal against South Fayette.
The Tigers are now 20-3 this season. Manfredo, on Saturday, committed to play at Edinboro.
Liam Mignogna, Hampton
For much of the season, Division I recruit Peter Kramer has carried the bulk of the scoring load for the Talbots. But last week he got plenty of help from Mignogna.
The 6-foot-9 center scored 28 points in a 69-40 blowout of South Allegheny in the quarterfinals, and then added 19 more points to top Avonworth, 61-39, in the semifinals.
Hampton is now 22-3 and next faces No. 1 Lincoln Park Thursday at 9 p.m. in the Class 4A Championship Game.
Haylie Lamonde, South Fayette
The Lions are again hunting for a WPIAL title thanks to a pair of strong playoff victories last week.
On Tuesday, Lamonde paced South Fayette with 24 points in a 55-36 romp over Mars. The sophomore followed that with a 19-point effort against Trinity in Friday’s quarterfinals, a 53-39 win.
South Fayette will attempt to get back to the WPIAL Class 5A finals when it takes on McKeesport in Tuesday’s semifinals.
Tyree Turner, Greensburg Central Catholic
Greensburg Central Catholic has hit its stride in the back half of the season, winning 13 straight games behind the strong guard play from Turner.
Last week, he dropped 18 points in a 57-22 blowout of Frazier in the first round. He followed that with 20 points against Eden Christian in a lopsided, 69-41 quarterfinal win Friday.
Turner is a strong all-around athlete. He plays quarterback and safety on the football team and also plays baseball. He has received a college football offer from Westminster.
KDKA Radio’s high school basketball coverage continues this week. You can hear more WPIAL playoff basketball on 100.1 FM and 1020 AM KDKA Radio, with the 5A boys semifinals Monday featuring Moon vs Thomas Jefferson. And all 12 WPIAL basketball championship games can be heard on KDKA Radio Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Follow @KDKARadio on X (Twitter) and Instagram for updates throughout the games.