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Laurel Highlands’ Keondre DeShields is one of the leading scorers in the WPIAL, averaging 26.7 points per game.
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Post-Gazette Athletes of the Week: Keondre DeShields and Abby Mankins

Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette

Post-Gazette Athletes of the Week: Keondre DeShields and Abby Mankins

KEONDRE DESHIELDS

Laurel Highlands

Recently: DeShields started the season by scoring 27, 32 and 21 points in victories against Baldwin, Peters Township and Greensburg Salem.

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Check this out: DeShields came into the week as one of the leading scorers in the WPIAL after the first few games, averaging 26.7 points. A 6-foot-3, 185-pound junior guard-forward, he is one of the reasons Laurel Highlands is expected to challenge for a WPIAL Class 5A title. He and junior point guard Rodney Gallagher make for a nice scoring tandem. DeShields transferred from Uniontown to Laurel Highlands after his freshman year and averaged 16 points last season. He played high school football for the first time this season and was the team’s leading receiver. He also started at defensive back.

Have you taken over the main scoring role from Rodney Gallagher? It depends on what type of game it is. Sometimes, he’ll score. The past couple games, teams have focused on him, so I had to score.

What’s the reason you’re scoring more. Are you playing differently? I’ve been working out a lot and just got better. Me and Rod, we work out a lot.

You guys made it to the WPIAL semifinals a year ago. Are you better than last year? We definitely got way better. We’re bigger, stronger, have better basketball IQs. We’re better in everything.

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What made you play football this year? Just Rodney and his dad kept telling me and my dad that I needed to get on the field (laugh).

How did you like it? It was fun. I liked the contact.

Do you think your future is in football now? Hopefully, I get some college offers for both sports. I don’t know what I’d pick.

Do you like one sport better? They’re probably the same. Right now, I’d probably choose basketball because it’s basketball season. In football season, I’d choose football.

Why’d you leave Uniontown? I wanted to get my ninth grade season with my brother at Uniontown, and I just left after that.

Something you hope to get for Christmas? (Laugh) I’d say just a lot of clothes.

Best Christmas present ever? I’d say probably when I was little, I got my own basketball hoop in the driveway. I had been asking for one.

People might be surprised to know that you ... ? Lift weights a lot.

Why would they be surprised about that? You’re an athlete. Because I don’t really look like I lift. My arms don’t look it.

— By Mike White

ABBY MANKINS

Greensburg Salem

The past week: Mankins scored 15 points in a Golden Lions victory against South Park to eclipse the 1,000-point mark in her career.

Check this out: Mankins, a 5-foot-10 senior guard and Seton Hill recruit, is the leading scorer for Greensburg Salem this season. She has helped the team to a 6-0 start — including two wins against out-of-state opponents in the KSA Classic in Kissimmee, Fla. — for the first time since the school went 12-0 to open the 2006-07 campaign.

What was it like scoring your 1,000th point in Florida? It was honestly awesome. It was a different kind of environment to get it, but it was awesome. The team was just as excited as I was, which is what made it so much fun. It was just overwhelming excitement and joy and I was excited to celebrate with my team in such a cool place.

You went all the way to Florida to score your 1,000th point against a school about 30 miles away from your front door. We were all laughing about that because we traveled all the way to Orlando and we’re playing someone from back home.

How is it playing in that tournament? To be honest, I don’t think any of us knew what to expect. I think just the fact that we’re on a trip and bonding, flying together on a plane and one of our girls, it was her first time on a plane and we were teasing her. Then we’re here in Orlando and, for a lot of kids, it’s their first time here at Disney and at the parks. It was a great bonding experience.

How about the start the team has had? Our team is very close and a lot of us have been playing together since the third grade. I think our energy and knowing that it was our last year to play together, we just know to leave it all on the floor and we feed off each other’s successes.

You committed to Seton Hill. Did playing in Florida make you rethink that? No. I love the coaches there and I feel like, when I visit there, it feels like home. I also want to go into nursing, so they understand academically what I want to do with that and my passion for basketball. I can’t wait to join the Griffins squad

What was your favorite experience at the parks in Orlando? Just the rides. We were all laughing and making fun of each other on the rides when we’re screaming and walking around and waiting in lines. It was a great experience to bring us all closer.

With the holidays coming up, what’s your plan for Christmas? Normally my family comes over for Christmas Eve and we always have Game Night and we’ll play board games or card games. On Christmas Day, we go to my grandparents’ and we’ll have dinner there.

— By Keith Barnes

First Published: December 22, 2021, 12:30 p.m.

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Laurel Highlands’ Keondre DeShields is one of the leading scorers in the WPIAL, averaging 26.7 points per game.  (Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette)
Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette
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