Top 10th/9th Graders at Pittsburgh Tip-Off
It’s time to put the now not-so-recent Pittsburgh tipoff tournament to bed with a recap of some of the top performances from the underclassmen in the 2023 and 2024 divisions. The 15 and under division’s finale featured a rematch of…
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Continue ReadingIt’s time to put the now not-so-recent Pittsburgh tipoff tournament to bed with a recap of some of the top performances from the underclassmen in the 2023 and 2024 divisions.
The 15 and under division’s finale featured a rematch of the best head-to-head matchup of the pool play round.
This time, the youngsters emerged victoriously. I say youngsters because the winning team for the 15u division was WV Thunder 2025.
Yes, you read that right. This is a group of incoming 8th graders. The Thunder organization never lacks for talent or worries about distance in its pursuit of it.
This team was a combination of its top two 2025 teams as neither had enough players available for the competition.
To test their mettle, their coach played them up two divisions and they responded to the challenge.
Their toughest challenge was their first in a 60-50 loss to a post-dominant NCWV Swish team led by one of Ohio’s top up-and-coming centers.
The rematch saw Thunder fall behind in the first half, only to outscore their more seasoned opponents 37-21 in the second half to win 52-38.
The 14u division saw the W.Va. Rampage 2024s finish second, losing twice to Drill 4 Skill out of Pennsylvania, once in pool play (32-25) and again in the bracket finale (37-32). The Mountain staters won their other three games.
Reagan Vinskovich Reagan Vinskovich 6'3" | SF Belmont Union | 2023 State OH , NCWV Swish (Union Local, 2023)
The aforementioned all-Ohio post presence, Vinskovich had a monster tournament for Swish. Vinskovich moved well in traffic and finished strong against contact.
She scored 19 and 17, respectively, in the two games against the Thunder, registering a double-double in both as the 6-1 sophomore to be is a force on the boards.
Avery Childers, NCWV Swish (Robert C. Byrd, 2023)
Childers doesn’t have the size of Vinskovich, but she makes up for it in aggressiveness and physicality.
She stuck put backs, nailed short-range shots against contact, and fought for rebounds. Childers can also step out and hit 3-pointers, as she drained a pair in the first Thunder meeting.
Decent speed and handles also allow Childers to assist in taking care of the ball, especially against pressure.
Emily Sharkey, NCWV Swish (University, 2023)
Swish’s energetic and quick-footed point guard, Sharkey is at home in transition, whether pushing the tempo and racing ahead to turn an outlet pass into points.
She wastes little time in decision making, making her a danger to score off the dribble or quickly feed an open teammate for a shot. She also showed off some range with multiple triples.
Quick to react atop the Swish’s primarily 2-3 zone look all weekend, she forced numerous turnovers which resulted in easy transition buckets.
Alexis Bordas, WV Thunder (St. Vincent, 2025)
Sweet shooting southpaw, this lefty incoming 8th-grader has deep range and gets off shots quickly. Far from a perimeter-only threat, Bordas can attack the basket with either hand. She is a consistent shot from all three levels.
Despite her offensive skillset, Bordas is unselfish with the ball and works to get her teammates involved in the offense. A skilled passer.
A finalist in the Elks’ Hoop Shoot contest, trips to the free-throw line are guaranteed points.
Defensively, uses her 5-7 frame to cause issues for smaller guards and her quickness leads to forced turnovers and points in transition.
She averaged 10.6 through five games, including 10 3-pointers.
Darriana Alexander, WV Thunder (Winton Woods, 2025)
Extremely quick and not just for her 6-foot-2 frame, this Cincinnati-based post is going to cause major headaches for opposing coaches down the line.
In fact, she is doing it now.
‘Dee’ averaged a double-double with 13 points and she and Bordas evenly split 34 points in the championship finale.
Her handles and quickness made her a difficult defend for any post player as she can blow past or outleap them and work the glass from in close.
Defensively, she showed the ability to recover quickly and block or alter most shots in the paint. Runs the floor extremely well.
Zaniah Zellous, WV Rampage (Linsly, 2024)
Saying Zellous can jump is a disservice to her athleticism.
The incoming freshman at Linsly can clear a 42-inch hurdle from a standing jump. Combined with her 6-foot frame, no rebound is out of her reach.
Zellous stuck a number of put-backs for the Rampage. Starting to come into her own with penetration offense, she’s deadly in the paint.
Once Zellous adds a touch of physicality to her interior play, she’s going to be a load to handle, more so than she already is.
Defensively, her size and speed allow her to cover a lot of ground in the half-court.
Sophia Wassick, WV Rampage (Morgantown, 2024)
The Rampage’s floor general. Make no mistake, when Wassick has the ball she has total control over the flow of the game. Confident point pushed tempo both in transition and attacked off the dribble in the half-court. A capable scorer that can fight through traffic and finish strong or knock down shots from the perimeter.
A physical player who rebounds well for a guard. Tough defender, both on the ball and up top in the zone. Fights through screens and recovers quickly. Capable shot blocker.
Ella Simpson, WV Rampage (University, 2024)
Plays bigger than her size, fearless in attacking the basket with the dribble and crashing in to grab a board or loose ball.
Simpson had a number of successful drives against contact. Solid rebounder.
Tough interior defender and shot blocker. Uses quickness and physical play to harass offensive players, never allowing them to get comfortable with the ball.