Five 2023 Western PA Prospects Who Were Set to Explode This AAU Season
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, AAU/Grasroots Travel Basketball has been cancelled through the month of July and has significantly altered the college basketball recruiting landscape. With no physical, on-court action this summer, we are only left to imagine how this…
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Continue ReadingDue to the Covid-19 Pandemic, AAU/Grasroots Travel Basketball has been cancelled through the month of July and has significantly altered the college basketball recruiting landscape. With no physical, on-court action this summer, we are only left to imagine how this travel season would have played out. In this segment, we take a look at five 2023 Western Pennsylvania prospects who were poised for breakout summers.
Rodney Gallagher Rodney Gallagher 6'0" | CG Laurel Highlands | 2023 State #176 Nation PA | 6’0 G Laurel Highlands
When mentioning some of the many legendary high school athletes to come through Western PA, names like Terrelle Pryor and Darrelle Revis usually jump to mind. In 2020, Rodney Gallagher Rodney Gallagher 6'0" | CG Laurel Highlands | 2023 State #176 Nation PA is the name on the tip of everyone’s tongues, and for good reason. The freshman phenom led his Laurel Highlands team to a gold medal in the 5A WPIAL Championship, striking a comeback against Mars and hitting the game winning free-throws with only a few seconds left, etching his name into the Western PA record books for eternity. All of the accomplishments, accolades, and social media attention may get overwhelming at times, especially for a freshman; but it pales in comparison to the attention he will be garnishing from college recruiters these next few years. Already boasting multiple high major Division-1 scholarship offers in both football and basketball, his phone and his recruitment are set to explode once schools are able to contact him directly. Gallagher is determined to surpass the lofty expectations set upon him by the media and fans in this area. Knowing his humble character, drive to be the best, work-ethic, and intangibles… carrying the torch as the best athlete in Western PA is a challenge that Gallagher is willing to accept with open arms. Displaying maturity and poise beyond his years, Gallagher is primed for another huge season when football returns, then look for him to carry that momentum over to the basketball court as he and his team look to defend their WPIAL title.
Travarese Rowe Travarese Rowe 6'3" | PF McKeesport | 2023 State PA | 6’5 F McKeesport
Rowe is a long and rangy, live-body athlete who can play above the rim in space— At this point, Rowe is best in transition where he is able to showcase his athletic abilities to the fullest extent, grabbing the ball off the rim and going coast to coast for dunks, or catching the pass on sideline run-outs and attacking from the wing. His frame is intriguing, boasting plus length and the looks of someone who will be closer to 6’7 or 6’8 by the time senior year rolls around. Although he must polish his jump-shot and expand his ability to handle the ball under duress, there have been flashes of touch around the rim and mid-range effectiveness. At times, he has shown the ability to rebound effectively, but his motor and physique must continue to improve, which should only come with time and development. Overall, Rowe is an extremely intriguing prospect who brings a lot of versatility and upside to the table. He is definitely someone to track and monitor this upcoming season.
Daemar Kelly Daemar Kelly 6'3" | SF Penn Hills | 2023 State PA | 6’3 W/G Penn Hills
Kelly had a productive freshman season for the Penn Hills Indians. At times, he was able to display his positional size, long arms, and ability to read and react on the floor with the ball in his hands. While his Jump-shot is still a tad bit under construction, he thrives as a big-body attacking wing/guard who loves to get into the lane by imposing his will. He is physically advanced for his age, absorbing contact and finishing over length at the rim; He tends to revert back to his right hand at this point, but I’ve seen flashes of left-hand dexterity. Defensively, Kelly is very active, vocal, and versatile, guarding different positions with his ability to move his feet and cover ground quickly, cutting off ball-handlers from getting to their spots. He has good hips and lateral range, helping him recover if he gets beat off the bounce. As he continues to grow, mature, and refine his skill-set, Kelly looks to be one of the better prospects Western PA has to offer in the 2023 class.
Vinnie Cugini Vinnie Cugini 6'2" | PG Aquinas Academy | 2023 State PA | 5’11 G Aquinas Academy
How could we not mention the leading scorer in the WPIAL this past season? The sub 6′ guard had a tremendous Freshman season for Aquinas, averaging 34.2 points per game by displaying immense court-awareness, IQ and craftiness, scoring every type of way possible. Impressive to say the least, considering this baby-faced assassin looks like he could still be in middle school. And while he definitely hasn’t fully matured yet, that’s not a bad thing at all. There are areas that he can improve on, but he has definite upside. He shot the ball okay this year from the perimeter, but it’s something he can improve on, tightening-up and quickening his release to better his efficiency. Cugini does what his team asks, and that means score a lot of points; this upcoming season, with a larger target on his back and more impending junk-defenses designed to limit his scoring, look for Cugini to facilitate more and transition into the true, natural scoring point-guard that he ultimately projects to be in college. There will always be doubters chiming in about his size or his high school competition, that comes with the territory. One thing for sure is that Vinnie Cugini Vinnie Cugini 6'2" | PG Aquinas Academy | 2023 State PA is the real deal and will draw a lot of attention these next 3 years.
Dellquan Warren Dellquan Warren 6'1" | CG Spire | 2024 OH | 6’1 G Erie Cathedral Prep
This young lefty dynamic guard toggled back and forth between Varsity and JV this year for his Cathedral Prep Ramblers squad. While upperclassmen like Michael Lucarotti Michael Lucarotti 6'4" | SG Andrews Osborne (OH) | 2021 PA (Youngstown State commit) and Alfonso Pickens (Gannon commit) were manning the backcourt duties, Warren played the role of the understudy: soaking up information, competing and growing day in/day out against his battle-tested elders. Now that Pickens has moved on, Warren has the keys and will be implemented as the team’s starting point guard this upcoming season. Electric in transition, lightning quick, and shifty are some of the adjectives that can be used to describe Warren. He has a natural feel for the point guard position, the ability to get by defenders consistently off the dribble, and the athletic creativity to finish with authority at the cup or set his teammates up for easy assists. If you play off of him or go under in ball-screen situations, Warren is able to recognize and make you pay. If his feet are set, he can be a potent perimeter threat utilizing his somewhat slow but mechanically solid left-handed jump-shot. There is a lot to like about his game and there is also a ton of room to grow, so I’m fully expecting Warren to make an exponential leap in minutes, workload and production this winter.