WPIAL lands 3 players on Class 5A all-state boys basketball team
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Saturday, May 7, 2022 | 12:01 AM
Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher scores against New Castle’s Mike Wells during the WPIAL Class 5A championship game on Friday, March 4, 2022, at Petersen Events Center.
New Castle and Laurel Highlands combined for one of the most competitive WPIAL finals in recent memory, a matchup decided in double overtime by two last-second free throws.
Laurel Highlands (27-1) celebrated the WPIAL title that day, but New Castle (27-3) went on to finish as the state runner-up. The teams’ success was recognized Saturday when three WPIAL players earned all-state honors in a statewide vote of sportswriters.
New Castle’s Mike Wells and Laurel Highlands’ Rodney Gallagher were both named to the first team, and Gallagher’s teammate Keondre Deshields earned second-team honors.
Wells scored 22.4 points per game, Gallagher averaged 18.6 and Deshield 19.4.
State champion Imhotep Charter was rewarded with both the player of the year and coach of the year honors. Justin Edwards, a 6-foot-7 junior with Kentucky and Villanova among his college offers, also led Imhotep to the Philadelphia Public League and District 12 titles. He averaged 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds.
Imhotep went 28-4.
2021-22 Class 5A All-State Boys Basketball
First team
Justin Edwards, 6-7, jr., Imhotep Charter
Rodney Gallagher, 6-0, jr., Laurel Highlands
Thomas Sorber, 6-9, so., Archbishop Ryan
Mike Wells, 6-4, sr., New Castle
Ty Burton, 5-10, so., Lampeter-Strasburg
Rahmir Barno, 6-0, jr., Imhotep Charter
Second team
Jalen Franklin, 6-1, sr., Susquehannock
Ahmad Nowell, 6-0, so., Imhotep Charter
Keondre Deshields, 6-3, jr., Laurel Highlands
Jackson Hicke, 6-4, jr., Radnor
Anthony Smith, 6-7, sr., Shippensburg
Elijah Hamilton, 6-4, jr., Octorara
Third team
Trey Grube, 6-0, jr., Manheim Central
Larenzo Jerkins, 6-4, so., Chester
Jeremy Thomas, 6-4, sr., Shippensburg Area
Colin Payne, 6-3, sr., Exeter Township
Luke Boyd, 6-1, sr. Archbishop Ryan
Darren Williams, 6-4, so., Archbishop Ryan
Player of the Year
Justin Edwards, Imhotep Charter
Coach of the Year
Andre Noble, Imhotep Charter
• • • • •
All-State Boys Basketball Schedule
Monday: Non-PIAA schools
Tuesday: PIAA Class A
Wednesday: PIAA Class 2A
Thursday: PIAA Class 3A
Friday: PIAA Class 4A
Saturday: PIAA Class 5A
Sunday: PIAA Class 6A
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Laurel Highlands, New Castle
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