Connor, Malcolm top all-state squad
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Ashleigh Connor
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Aislin Malcolm
Ashleigh Connor of Mt. Lebanon and Aislin Malcolm from Chartiers Valley headlined the 2022 Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State girls’ basketball team. The two area players earned first-team acclaim for their respective divisions.
In Class 6A, Connor led the Blue Devils to a WPIAL championship and to the PIAA finals.
A three-time all-state performer, she averaged 21.04 points per game. The 5-10 forward also pulled down 8.1 rebounds, dished up two assists an outing and created nearly three steals a game. She also connected on 43 percent of her field goals and 34 percent of her long-range shots.
A St. Louis recruit, Connor led the Blue Devils to a 27-2 record this season. She amassed more than 1,000 points in her playing career as well as multiple all-section and all-district honors. She was named the Almanac MVP for 2022.
A three-time Almanac MVP, Malcolm dominated for four years, claiming a state title as a freshman. While her teams amassed a 110-7 record, complete with four section banners and four district final appearances, she set school records for career points with 1,170 and 3-point field goals with 280.
Malcolm, who played in three state finals, averaged 16.1 points, grabbed 4.7 rebounds and dished up 2.5 assists per game this season. She also supplied two steals per game and buried 83 3-pointers for the Colts, who finished 28-3 overall.
A three-time WPIAL champion, Malcolm will continue her playing career at the University of Pittsburgh.
Three other area players earned all-state recognition including Journey Thompson from Peters Township, Maddie Webber of South Fayette and CV’s Perri Page.
Thompson was a third-team selection at the Class 6A level.
A Delaware recruit, Thompson was a starter as a freshman when the Indians went undefeated (30-0) and won a state title in 2019. She went on to become a 1,000-point scorer and a multiple all-section performer.
In guiding a young club to a 13-11 record that included a district playoff appearance this winter, Thompson accumulated 382 points for a 15.9 average per game. She converted 47.2 percent of her shots from the field and 72 percent from the charity stripe.
A 6-2 center, Thompson also dominated the glass. She led the team in rebounding with a 12.5 average. She also managed two steals per game.
Webber and Page gained second-team all-state acclaim for Class 5A.
A 5-7 junior, Webber helped South Fayette win its second WPIAL title in school history and second championship in six seasons. The Lions finished 23-5 on the year.
An all-section performer, Webber led the Lions in scoring with a 17-point average. She also provided 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists a game.
Page was a force at both ends of the court, averaging a double-double nearly nightly. She managed 15.4 points and 9.3 rebounds a game. She also averaged 2.4 steals per game while blocking 19 shots and dishing up 57 assists. She scored nearly 1,300 career points and maintained a 49 shooting percentage.
Seton LaSalle sophomore Mallory Daly was named to the Class 2A all-state squad. She was a third-team selection. She averaged 23.9 points per game for the Rebels, who were WPIAL semifinalists and finished 18-8 overall.