Neumann-Goretti sophomore leads Class 4A All-State boys basketball team
By Mike Gross — Lancaster Media Group
On March 24, at Hershey’s Giant Center, Neumann-Goretti produced a masterpiece.
The Saints shot 63 percent from the field, made eight of 17 three-pointers and routed Quaker Valley, a previously undefeated team with elite talent, 93-68 for the PIAA Class 4A state boys basketball championship.
| FIRST TEAM | ||
| Robert Wright III | Soph. | Neumann-Goretti |
| Adou Thiero | Sr. | Quaker Valley |
| Markus Frank | Sr. | Quaker Valley |
| Moses Hipps | Soph. | Archbishop Carroll |
| Sultan Adewale | Jr. | Neumann-Goretti |
| Trey Martin | Sr. | Boiling Springs |
Directing the show was point guard Robert Wright III, who had 16 points and seven assists. That’s how a sophomore became the Class 4A Player of the Year as the leading vote-getter for the Pennsylvania Sportswriters All-State Team.
Neumann-Goretti is one of Pennsylvania’s superpowers, having won nine state titles, all since 2009.
This year’s team lost some games due to COVID-19 issues and labored a bit in January, losing three Philadelphia Catholic League games by a total of 38 points.
The Saints rebounded to end the season on a 10-game win streak against high-level competition, winning the PCL, District 12 and state championships.
Wright averaged 19.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists, leading the Catholic League in scoring. He shot 43.5 percent from the 3-point arc.
His scholarship offers – remember, he’s only a sophomore – include Syracuse, Miami, Seton Hall, Wake Forest, Virginia Commonwealth and Wichita State.
Kentucky coach John Calipari was in the Giant Center for the Class 4A final, primarily to watch Adou Thiero, one of two Quaker Valley senior stars, along with Marcus Frank, to make the first team.
Thiero, an athletic 6-5 swingman, got a scholarship offer from Calipari the day after the game. Thiero also has offers from Cincinnati, Maryland and Pittsburgh.
He averaged 23.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.1 steals. Thiero made the second team in 2021.
Frank, also a 6-5 senior, came up with a huge season that included 45 points in a District 7 playoff game and 28 in the state final. Averages: 28.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.9 steals.
Mike Mastrioianni, who directed Quaker Valley to a 27-1 season, WPIAL championship and the state final, is Coach of the Year.
Two of Wright’s teammates, Sultan Adewale and Masud Stewart, also received All-State recognition.
Adewale is an athletic 6-8 big who averaged 11.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots. He shot 58 percent from the field and is seen as a “high upside’’ recruit, with offers from DePaul, Oklahoma State, Washington, Mississippi, Rutgers, Memphis and others.
Stewart, a 6-1 senior, averaged 11.4 points and made 45 3-pointers. His scholarship offers include St. Peter’s, Holy Cross, Rider, Wagner and Delaware State.
Trey Martin of Boiling Springs makes the first team for the second straight year after averaging 27.1 points and 7.1 rebounds. He shot 55.6 percent from the field.
A 6-4 guard, Martin averaged 19.6 points over a four-year varsity career. He will attend Shippensburg University.
The first team includes a second sophomore, Moses Hipps, a 6-3 guard from Archbishop Carroll who helped knock Berks Catholic out of the state playoffs. Hipps averaged 18.9 points, made 76 3-pointers, dropped 35 in a January game vs. Neumann-Goretti and had two 31-point state-tournament games.
Hipps made the second team last season; he has offers from Temple, LaSalle, Fordham and Virginia Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania Sportswriters’ Class 4A All-State Team
Player of the Year: Robert Wright III, Neumann-Goretti
Coach of the Year: Mike Mastroianni, Quaker Valley
FIRST TEAM
1st Team
Robert Wright III, 6′, sophomore, Neumann-Goretti
Adou Thiero, 6′ 5″, senior, Quaker Valley
Markus Frank, 6′ 5″, senior, Quaker Valley
Moses Hipps, 6′ 3″, sophomore, Archbishop Carroll
Sultan Adewale, 6′ 8″, junior, Neumann-Goretti
Trey Martin, 6′ 4″, senior, Boiling Springs
SECOND TEAM
Brandin Cummings, 6′ 2″, sophomore, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter
Izaiah Pasha, 6′ 6″, junior, Cardinal O’Hara
Deyishon Miller, 6′ 5″, senior, West Philadelphia
Austin Finarelli, 6′, senior, Dallas
Masud Stewart, 6′ 1″, senior, Neumann-Goretti
Liam Joyce, 6′ 6″, senior, Allentown Central Catholic
THIRD TEAM
Meleek Thomas, 6′ 3″, freshman, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter
Jake Hernandez, 6′ 4″, senior, Lewisburg Area
Garrett Harrold, 6′ 3″, junior, Penn Cambria
Tyson Thomas, 6′, senior, Allentown Central Catholic
Dinero Washington, 5′ 10″, junior, Collegium Charter
Edixon Gomez, 6′ 1″, senior, Bethlehem Catholic