CONNOR SPRATT

Seton LaSalle

The past week: Spratt scored 33 points for the Seton LaSalle basketball team in a victory against Sto-Rox this past Friday. He had 23 in a win against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Feb. 7.

Check this out: Spratt is a 6-foot-2, 175-pound senior who has turned into one of the top guards in the WPIAL. He is among the WPIAL’s leading scorers at 27.1 points a game. He missed some games early in the season with a right wrist injury, but Seton LaSalle (11-9) is 9-2 since his return. Spratt has made 54 3-pointers in 15 games and is shooting almost 40% behind the arc. He also is averaging 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 steals. He transferred to Seton LaSalle from Peters Township after his sophomore year.

That wrist injury hasn’t seemed to affect you since you came back? I went 30 days without shooting. I practiced one day and then returned for the Keystone Oaks game the next. That first game was tough. I couldn’t flick my wrist on my follow through for a shot. Since then, it’s really improved.

If you had to describe yourself, are you a shooter or a scorer? Scorer. I think I’m a pure scorer. I can score at all three levels.

How good is this team and what can you do in the WPIAL playoffs? We’re really good. We’re on a seven-game win streak. I think we’re peaking at just the right time.

You missed the playoffs last year because of the PIAA transfer rule. Does that make you hungrier this year? Having that opportunity stripped away just makes this season worth twice as much to me. It’s like winning is the only option. 

Peters Township is having an excellent season. Do you ever think about what might have happened had you stayed there? To be honest, not really. I just like to focus on what I have in front of me right now. I support Peters Township. I saw they won their section. I have a lot of friends still over there playing.

Where does your recruiting stand? I just received my first scholarship offer from Williston State. It’s a junior college in North Dakota. I visited Navy a little over a month ago and they invited me to come down again. I’m talking to about 10 coaches right now, from Columbia to Davidson to a lot of PSAC schools. Maybe I’ll get some more offers in the next couple weeks.

What level do you think you can play? Honestly, I think I can play at any level. I played on [AAU team] Team Durant last summer and went against some really good players. I think I compared nicely with them. 

People might be surprised to know that you ... ? Can juggle.

But what can you juggle? Literally, any three things.

What about basketballs? Even basketballs. That’s a credit to our coach [Knobby Walsh]. He taught me how to do it at camp in fourth grade.

— By Mike White

ABBY REXRODE

Baldwin

The past week: Rexrode won the all-around Advanced Division at the WPIAL gymnastics championships Saturday at Moon.

Check this out: Rexrode, a sophomore, scored 38.225 and just slipped past Freedom junior Daisy Lewis by 0.125 points. It is her second consecutive title — both times Lewis finished second — and with the win joined Baldwin alum Kim Calderone (1983-84) and Mary DeFrancesco (1997-98) on the school’s list of two-time champions.

What is it like to now be a two-time champion? It feels really great because the scores ended up being really close. I just feel like it’s a great accomplishment.

How was this one different than last year? For me, I had an injury [fractured ankle] in December and I came back in January after missing a competition and I didn’t know if I would have all of my tricks back. I ended up having good routines and bringing most of them back.

With an ankle fracture, were you cognizant of it in competition and trying not to land heavily? Yeah. Right when I came back, I had a competition that week, so I just had to lower my skills a lot. I also have an ankle brace now that I have to wear and be careful with.

Even with the injury, your score went up a little from last year. How do you think you’ve improved? On my bar routine, I’ve been getting cleaner on my tricks and I’ve been more consistent. Just with that, overall, that has upped my scores.

Do you play any other sports? I don’t. I used to play soccer and volleyball and I did dance, but I had to quit all that because I’m on two gymnastics teams now. I have the high school team and I’m on a club team, UCG.

Do you plan on pursuing gymnastics in college? Yeah, I hope to.

You’re a sophomore now and recruiting starts next year. Is the recruiting process something you’re anticipating? I’m honestly looking forward to it because I want to see who is looking at me and what I can do with college.

What do you think will most impress college coaches? I feel like, for me, if I have one bad event or if one thing goes wrong, that I can come back from it and not let it ruin my whole meet.

What are you streaming on Netflix? I watch “Outer Banks” and “All-American,” shows like that.

How does that relax you? “All-American” is football and it’s about a kid who’s great at it and going to college for it. That’s like what I’m trying to do right now.

What’s one food you have to have, even when you’re training? Chicken fingers.

— By Keith Barnes

First Published: February 13, 2023, 2:08 p.m.