The Fabulous 5 is picked by the Post-Gazette scholastic sports staff and is made up of the top five players in the WPIAL and City League.
LIZZY GROETSCH • PLAYER OF THE YEAR
North Allegheny • 5-11 • Guard • Junior
The scoop: Versatile combo guard who led North Allegheny to WPIAL Class 6A championship. Did a little of everything, averaging 17.4 points, 7.7 rebounds. 4.1 assists, 3.7 steals, 1.2 blocks. Shot 41% from 3-point range and 78% from the free-throw line. A starter since her freshman year, Groetsch has 1,051 career points. Has played in three WPIAL title games.
College talk: Made verbal commitment in February to Pennsylvania of the Ivy League. Other finalists were Duquesne, Davidson, Yale, Brown and Columbia.
Most memorable moment this season: Definitely winning the WPIAL and celebrating on the court with my teammates. That was pretty unforgettable.
Favorite player of all time: LeBron James.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: I follow a lot of sports accounts, but I couldn’t name one in particular.
Toughest opponent: Bethel Park’s Maddie Dziezgowski and Liv Westphal.
People might be surprised to know: I play the piano. I started taking lessons when I was 8 years old.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My grandparents on both my mom’s and dad’s side. They’ve done so much for me.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: I haven’t really decided on a college major, but I’m interested in the sciences. So I’ll say doctor.
Funniest moment from this season: Before the playoff games, we would get hyped in the locker room. A lot of funny things happened then.
With no school because of the coronavirus, anything you’ve done differently to pass the time: I’ve been going to North Park every day, running the lake and my brothers are home from college. So we’ve been playing on the courts. We have a chess board now set up at our house, too. My brothers and I have been playing chess.
TESS MYERS
North Catholic • 5-10 • Guard • Senior
The scoop: One of few players in WPIAL history to start on four championship teams. The Trojanettes’ record in Myers’ four years as a starter was 102-12. This year, Myers averaged 16.9 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 48% from two-point range and 75% from the free-throw line. Two-time Fab 5 selection. Had 1,628 career points and 564 career rebounds. Two sisters (Natalie and Taylor) also scored 1,000 points in their high school careers.
College talk: Signed with Duquesne. Among other schools that offered were Cincinnati, Temple and Colorado.
Most memorable moment this season: Beating Blackhawk in the semifinals, just because it was a very anticipated game and there was a lot of pressure on the seniors to get back to the championship.
Favorite player of all time: LeBron James.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: My sister (Natalie) sends me the funniest stuff from Twitter.
Toughest opponent: I would say (former Peters Township star) Makenna Marisa. But this year, (Chartiers Valley’s) Perri Page gave us the most trouble.
People might be surprised to know: I play the piano.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My two older sisters.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: A singer (laugh) because I love singing.
Funniest moment from this season: Our last state playoff game, the bus never came to take us to the game. So we had to hurry and pack into a van with the athletic director and we just blasted music and sang the whole way to the game.
With no school because of the coronavirus, anything you’ve done differently to pass the time: I would say I work out more on my own. I work out in my family room, the yard, anywhere. We live on a cul-de-sac with a hoop, so that’s perfect, too.
AISLIN MALCOLM
Chartiers Valley • 5-10 • Guard • Sophomore
The scoop: Considered one of the best sophomores in the state. First sophomore to make Fab 5 since Blackhawk’s Chassidy Omogrosso in 2013. Malcolm has never lost a game in high school yet, with team going 57-0 in her two seasons with two WPIAL titles and one PIAA championship. A starter since her freshman year, Malcolm averaged 16.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals this season. One of the best shooters in Western Pa., Malcolm shot 37% from 3-point range (68 of 182) this season and has 132 3-pointers in two seasons. Shot 76% from free-throw line. Has 711 career points.
College talk: Already has a half dozen scholarship offers from Duquesne, Pitt, Duke, West Virginia, Western Michigan and Princeton.
Most memorable moment this season: Probably the buzzer beater to win against Thomas Jefferson.
Favorite player of all time: Kobe Bryant.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: ESPN.
Toughest opponent: My cousin, Marian Turnbull. She went to Mt. Lebanon and played there last year, but now plays for a team in Virginia.
People might be surprised to know: I’m a really quiet person.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: My pap (Theodore Yustak). He passed away but he went through a lot of medical issues and was so strong, and never complained. He was, like, my best friend.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: An engineer.
Funniest moment from this season: Probably just watching my sister (Amaleen) play. That’s always funny.
With no school because of the coronavirus, anything you’ve done differently to pass the time: I’m still doing schoolwork that teachers are posting on line. As far as basketball, I have to shoot a lot more outside now. I’m not that used to doing that.
MEGAN MCCONNELL
Chartiers Valley • 5-7 • Guard • Senior
The scoop: A point guard, McConnell helped the Colts win a WPIAL record 57 consecutive games the past two seasons. A four-year starter, McConnell won three WPIAL titles and had 1,521 points. This season, averaged 14.3 points, 4.6 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 steals. Shot 52% from the field. Brothers T.J. (currently in the NBA) and Matty also made Fab 5. McConnells are only second family to have three siblings on Fab 5. The Millers of Blackhawk (Sean, Archie and Lisa) is the other. Megan is coached by her father, Tim.
College talk: McConnell has signed with Duquesne.
Most memorable moment this season: Buzzer beater against Thomas Jefferson.
Favorite player of all time: Skylar Diggins.
Not T.J. MConnell? Should I have said him (laugh)? Maybe I should change my answer. But I feel like people might say, ‘Are you kidding me?’
Toughest opponent: Probably (Thomas Jefferson’s) Jenna Clark last year.
People might be surprised to know: I like to dance.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: T.J. Just his story makes him a role model. It’s so nice we stay in touch. He texts me before and after every game. That means a lot.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: A dancer (laugh). Or a teacher.
Funniest moment from this season: We had practice New Year’s Eve and my dad was telling all of us to be safe and make good decisions. He said he was going to call us all at midnight when he was banging pots and pans. That is so old. No one says that any more. We all started laughing. All the freshmen and sophomores said, ‘What does that even mean?’
With no school because of the coronavirus, anything you’ve done differently to pass the time: Every day since we’ve been off, I clean my room. My mom is so taken aback by it.
MACKENZIE AMALIA
Blackhawk • 5-5 • Guard • Senior
The scoop: A point guard who averaged 21.9 points and 7 assists a game this season for a WPIAL Class 4A semifinalist. An excellent shooter, Amalia made 71 3-pointers and shot 75% from the free-throw line. Set school records for 3-pointers in a game (8), assists in a game (14), single-season assists (181) and career assists (571). A four-year starter, Amalia finished with 1,794 points.
College talk: Has signed with Robert Morris.
Most memorable moment this season: I would say when we played a game at Trinity and everyone was just super hyped up. It was a close game and our team was so together. All of our fans were together. It was just a good feeling because it felt like a family.
Favorite player of all time: Steph Curry or Kyrie Irving.
Favorite person to follow on Twitter: I don’t really use Twitter a lot.
Toughest opponent: (Former North Catholic standout) Sam Breen. I played her my freshman year in the WPIAL championship.
People might be surprised to know: I can juggle.
Can you juggle three basketballs? Yeah, basketballs, tennis balls, dice. Anything.
Person who has influenced you the most, other than a parent: (Blackhawk coach) Steve Lodovico.
You can’t be an athlete or a coach in the future, you’d be: Something in the medical field.
Funniest moment from this season: One of our sophomores, Casey Nixon, lost her speaker (for music) and had the athletic director and custodians looking everywhere. A week or two later, our assistant coach (Dave Florentine) tells everyone, ‘Hey, I found this speaker and had it in my locker. Is it anyone’s?’
With no school because of the coronavirus, anything you’ve done differently to pass the time: I’ve gone to shoot at outdoor courts, which I haven’t done. I’ve started lifting weights in my basement. I’ve spent a lot more time with my family, too.
First Published: March 29, 2020, 10:00 a.m.
