Cumberland Posey, he played major college basketball at Penn State and Duquesne prior to WWI. He would be a one of the first African-Americans to have done so. His real claim to fame came with he playing baseball with the famous Homestead Grays , and then managing and  running the team, that he built  into one of the powerhouse franchises of black baseball, winning  nine consecutive  pennants from 1937-45.  (Credit: Tony Labriola)

"Posey" Rhoads. One of the all-time leading scorers in Mercer County basketball history, scoring 50 against Rocky Grove and 51 against Coraopolis in his senior year, 1967. He helped the Mercer H. S. Mustangs win back-to-back Class B state championships in 1966 and 1967. He was first-team All-State and went on to be a three-year starter at Wake Forest University. Posey  played professional basketball from 1973-77 in Australia. He was the league's leading scorer in 1975. He has coached in New Zealand; and in the U.S at Thiel College, at Slippery Rock University, and at Slippery Rock High School. (Credit: Sharon Herald ). In the photo (Credit: Altoona Mirror), a hook shot in a 33 point performance enroute to a 82-67 win against Altoona Bishop Guilfoyle in 1967.



Steve Rossignoli. The 6-5 Rossignoli was a warrior inside who also had a deft touch outside that provided plenty of problems for the opposition.Rossignoli finished his scholastic career at Reading High School in 1977, but he went on to star at Mount St. Mary's.
(Reading Eagle, 12/26/99)

Ron Sepic. First-team all-state as senior, third-team as junior. Helped Raiders win WPIAL and PIAA titles in 1962. Three-year starter at Ohio State, where he was captain as a senior. Also led '62 football team to WPIAL crown. Drafted by NBA Cincinnati Royals and NFL Washington Redskins. (Credit: Rick Shrum, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Mike Schieb. 5' 8; who played at Millersburg ( 1972,73,74 ), he once scored 60 points in a high school game and had 1,981 career points in high school. He then played for Susquehanna University (1975-1978 ) and in his senior season he won the prestigious Francis Pomeroy Naismith Award (http://www.hoophall.com/awards/naismith_award.htm)" for the best collegiate player
(any division) under 6 feet tall. The Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in named in honor of James Naismith's daughter-in-law. It was established for men in 1969 and for women in 1984. The men's award is presented to the nation's most outstanding senior six-feet and under,while the women's version is presented to the top senior five-foot-eight and under. The men's award is SELECTED by a panel from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

Bobby Seitz. He was one of the all-time "good guys" in Pennsylvania basketball from player to youth coach to intense fan of the game. He spent countless hours coaching grade school youth in the game he loved for many years in Altoona!  He once held the individual game scoring record at St. Francis College in Loretto with 36 points. The current record is held by Larry Lewis who tallied 46 against St. Vincent's in 1969.
(source: Tony Labriola)

Lloyd Sharrar, 6'10 Meadville High School (graduated in 1954).  Lloyd Sharrer went on to  captain the 1958 West Virginia University squad that finished 26-2 and was ranked No. 1 in the country. He was the MVP of the 1957 Southern Conference tournament and was a two-time all-Southern Conference first team selection (1957-58).  Jerry West was his teammate.  In fact, the Mountaineers made consecutive NCAA appearances during his three years starting at center from 1956-58.  He was named a 1958 second team college All-American by the Associated Press and was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the second round of the 1958 NBA Draft.  Sharrar is a member of the WVU basketball all-time team.
(Credit: West Virginia University Athletics Department).

Jim Smith (Smethport, 1955).  Robert Martin says, "Smith may have been one of the best basketball players I ever saw. I scouted the 1955 Karns City - Smethport D9 "B" final at Brookville won by KC in overtime. Smethport was undefeated going into that game.  The thing I remember about the game was that both teams were dunking before the game which was not allowed in Erie County my home at the time."  Smith later played four years of USAF service ball then became part of the Evansville Aces NCAA 1964 Championship Team.  (Credit: Robert Martin)


 

Tora Suber of  Downingtown High School.  With Tora, the Downingtown Whippets won  back-to-back Class AAAA District 1 and state titles in 1991 and 1992.  Tora went on the become an All American at the University of Virginia and ranks among the all time players in a few of the women's statistical categories.  She also was chosen in the first round of the inaugural WNBA Draft  by the Charlotte Sting  on April 28, 1997.  During the off-season Suber is busy working in the community. She visits and speaks at high schools encouraging the girls' teams. She  also puts together basketball clinics and plans basketball tournaments for men and women.          (Card credit: http://www.shop.com)     (Nominated by Andre Forte) 

 

Bob Surra.  Houston Rockets guard Bob Surra graduated from Wilkes Barre GAR High School.  In his high school career at GAR, he tallied 2,468 points while playing from 1987 to 1991. He graduated from Florida State in 1995.  Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round (17th pick overall) of the 1995 NBA Draft ... Traded to Golden State  6/27/00 ... Traded to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Clifford Robinson and Pepe Sanchez on 8/21/03...Traded in a three-team deal to the Atanta Hawks  2/19/04.  He now plays for the Houston Rockets
His professional career high was 35 vs. New Jersey on 1/13/05.


(Photo credit: AP in Times Leader)
(Information credit: Houston Rockets website)

 

Dawn Staley.  She played her prep career at Dobbins Tech in Philadelphia and today a seven-story mural depicting Staley can be found on the side of a building at the corners of 8th and Market streets in Philly overlooking her neighborhood,  unveiled in 1996.  During her four seasons at Virginia, her teams compiled a 110-21 record for a sparkling 83.9 winning percentage, appeared in four NCAA Tournaments, including three Final Fours (1990, 1991, 1992), finishing as NCAA runner-up in 1991.  Virginia received outstanding play from Staley in NCAA Tournament action and she was rewarded with Most Outstanding Player honors following the 1991 Final Four.   Prior to competing professionally in the United States, Staley played  in Brazil, France, Italy and Spain.   She  became the head women's basketball coach at Temple in 2000, and advanced her Owls to a pair of NCAA Tournaments in four years. She was the flag bearer  and leading the U.S. Olympic delegation into the stadium to open the 2004 Athens Games,  and was A-10 coach of the year in 2004 and '05, and a five-time WNBA All-Star.
 (Credit: http://www.usabasketball.com and Oscar Dixon USA Today)

Don Stemmerich. He won 638 games coaching at Union Joint High School in Clarion County, and at the same time was an outstanding player for local independent teams including the Franklin Rearms, Indiana Legion, and Clarion Comets.. In 1953, he set the individual game scoring record at the Brookville YMCA Tournament while playing for the Clarion Comets when he scored 46 points. In 1961, he was named the Brookville Tournament MVP playing for the winning Clarion Comets team. In that 1961 tournament, Don had 41 points in the championship game, a 105-99 win over the Parris Steakhouse from Erie. Don is enshrined in both the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and the Clarion University Sports Hall of Fame.  At one time, he held the scoring record at Clarion University where he was a three year basketball starter.  That was quite a feat when you take into consideration the fact that he did not play  basketball as a student at Wilkensburg High School. Between his high school graduation and his entry into college, a growth spurt, along with hard work, and determination  turned him into the formidable  basketball player that he became in college and in semi-pro levels later.  He still played competitive basketball until age 39. (Credit: Erie Times News, and a telephone conversation with Coach Stemmerich on May 17, 2007)

This photo comes from the 2/26/52 edition of the Pittsburgh Press in an article naming Stemmerich as the "Press Player of the Week" having led Clarion through an undefeated regular season while averaging 20 points per game.  He set a new school individual game record in 1952 with 38 points against Thiel College.  He also won 638 games coaching at Union Joint High School in Rimersburg for 38 years from 1955 to 1993. HERE
 

Maurice Stokes He played at Westinghouse High School in Pittsburgh, St. Francis College in Loretto, the Rochester Royals, and then the Cincinnati Royals. In 1956, he was named NBA "Rookie of the Year." In 2004, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.His friend and teammate with the Royals, Jack Tymann, praised "the courage and dedication" of Stokes when Tymann delivered the 1971 Commencement Address at St. Francis College. Stokes at St. Francis:  points(1954-55:760 ), (1953-54: 600), (1952-53: 417), (1951-52: 505);  rebounds(1954-55:733), 1953-54: 689).

Photo credit: St. Francis College Media Guide

Dave Twardzik. A 6 '1 guard that led Middletown High School "Blue Raiders" to the 1968 State Championship. He had a fine career at Old Dominion; went to the Virginia Squires in the ABA; he then played for Jack Ramsey with the Portland Trialblazers; he later moved to administration in the NBA. (Patriot News 12/19/99)

Horace Walker. As a sophomore in 1954, he led Chester High School to a 25-3 record and averaged 14.9 ppg. In his junior year 1955, he led the team to a 26-2 record and averaged 17.7 point per game. In his senior year 1956, he averaged 24.4 points per game and 30 rebounds per game. He scored 1516 points in his career. In 1947, he started his career as the manager of the Dewey-Mann Grammar School team for Coach Earl "Bunny" Blazynski. (Sports Flashback, Rich Pagano).
(Photo of Horace Walker and sportswriter Rich Pagano, thanks to Dave Burman)

Horace Walker Story, HERE

Mary Jane "M J" Wertz.  She earned 17 varsity letters in four high school years at Newport High School.  She remains the all-time high scorer in Newport High School basketball for both boys and girls with 1,564 points even though she graduated in 1979 before the 3 point shot.  She was a four year starter at the University of Scranton going to the Final Four in 1980.  In 1999, she was introduced as the speaker at an All-Sports Banquet as "the greatest female athlete ever to walk the halls of Newport High School!"

She is pictured here in her PIAA All-Star uniform.  At one time, the PIAA sponsored a Pennsylvania East vs West All Star doubleheader, a boys game and a girls game.  The event took place at the Farm Show Arena in Harrisburg.
 

Aimee Willard. The Notre Dame Academy star who was named Main Line Times Athlete of the Year in 1992, her number was retired and hung on a commemorative banner in the Irish gymnasium. Willard had scored a record-setting 1,331 points for the Irish, and led Notre Dame not only to the InterAc title in basketball her senior year. She acceptied a soccer scholarship to George Mason University and was part of the GMU team which reached the NCAA Division I championship game. When GMU started a lacrosse program, she quickly became a regional All-American in that sport. (Mainline Times, Bruce Adams).  In 1996, tragedy struck as Aimee was brutally murdered in Pennsylvania.  Her death led to "Aimee's Law."  Click HERE for the details.

Jerry Woods.  Former Mercer and Westminster College basketball great. In 1977, as a sophomore he helped Mercer High team to the state semifinals, before they were eliminated. That same season he was named to the Plum Holiday Tournament All-Star team. In 1977-78, he was Mercer's leading scorer and assists leader and was named to the YMCA All-Tournament team. His senior year, 1978-79, he averaged 24.2 points per game that campaign. In his best scoring output that season, he tallied 40 points against Hickory. (Credit: Sharon Herald )