2020-21 Pennsylvania Sportswriters’ All-State Team (2A Classification)

Written by: Andy Herr on April 27, 2021

Foreword written by Mike Gross of LNP….

No Pennsylvania high school basketball team had a better year than Class AA state champion Sacred Heart, a truth reflected in voting for the Pennsylvania Sportswriters’ all-state team.

Jake DiMichele, a 6-3 junior swingman for the Chargers, is the AA player of the year, which goes to the top vote-getter in balloting of a panel of media members throughout the state. Teammate Dante Spadafora, a senior point guard, was the second-leading vote getter. OLSH coach Mike Rodriguez is the 2A coach of the year.

The Chargers, 24-0, became the 14th undefeated state champ in Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association history by defeating Constitution, of Philadelphia, 62-49 in a rematch of the 2018 state final.

DiMichele had 21 points (eight below his average), 16 rebounds and five blocks in the final.

Spadafora, who will play at Division Two West Liberty next season, scored 15 in the final and played a critical role in handling Constitution’s pressure defense. He is all-state for the fourth time, DiMichele for the third time. Both made the first team for the second straight year.

First-team selection Quadir Miller, of Constitution, averaged 18.3 points per game, including 19 in the state final and 27 in a semifinal defeat of Old Forge.

An emerging star on the first team is Lancaster Mennonite sophomore guard Camden Hurst, who averaged 22.5 points with spectacular shooting efficiency: 60 percent from the field, 43 percent from the three-point arc and 85 percent from the foul line.

Hurst’s teammate, senior guard Cole Fisher, made the second team as Mennonite won the District Three AA title and reached the state quarterfinals.

Speaking of monster numbers, consider those of Jackson Juzang, a first-team junior guard for Winchester Thurston. He averaged 31.4 points per game and had one triple-double with 41 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists.

Huang is the cousin of Johnny Huang, the superb small forward who led UCLA to the NCAA Final Four.

Symir Priester made the first team after leading Sankofa Freedom Academy to the semifinals of the Philadelphia Public League playoffs. He averaged 14.4 points and 4.1 rebounds.

Priester made second-team all-state in Class A a year ago.

Rodriguez is 121-16 over the last five years at Sacred Heart, including a current 40-game winning streak. He was also AA coach of the year in 2019-20.

Class AA

First team

Jake DiMichele, 6-3 Jr., Sacred Heart (POY)

Dante Spadafora, 6-0 Sr., Sacred Heart

Quadir Miller, 5-11 Sr., Constitution

Camden Hurst, 6-1 Soph., Lancaster Mennonite

Jackson Juzang, 5-11 Jr., Winchester Thurston

Symir Priester, 6-4 Sr., Sankofa Freedom Academy

Second team

Cole Fisher, 6-0 Sr., Lancaster Mennonite

Jacob Beccles, 6-3 Jr., Constitution

Kaden Claar, 6-0 Jr., Portage

Sky-Ler Thomas, 6-5 Sr., Kennedy Catholic

Isaiah Niemczyk, 6-4 Jr., Canton

Tyler Poznanski, 5-11 Sr., Conemaugh Twp. (tie)

Ryan Sinclair, 6-0 Sr., Glendale (tie)

Third team

Preston Rainey, 6-1 Sr., Portage

Hector Tiburcio, 6-1 Jr., Antietam

Brevan Williams, 6-3 Jr., Greensburg CC

Earle Greer, 6-4 Jr., Delco Christian

Shemar Wilbanks, 6-0 Soph., Sankofa Freedom Academy

Coach: Mike Rodriguez, Sacred Heart

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