Post-Gazette's 2017-18 Girls Basketball Fab 5

MAKENNA MARISA, Player of the Year
Peters Township • 5-11 • Guard • Junior

The scoop: Talented point guard and one of the best juniors in the state. This season, averaged 22.9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals a game for WPIAL Class 6A finalist. Has 1,115 career points. Granddaughter of legendary former Waynesburg University coach Rudy Marisa.

College talk: Duquesne, Villanova, St. Joseph’s and Ball State have offered scholarships.

Most memorable moment this season: Definitely making it to the WPIAL championship.

Favorite basketball player of all time: Russell Westbrook and I like Arike Ogunbowale of Notre Dame.

Favorite person to follow on Twitter: I don’t have one, but I like sports accounts.

People might be surprised to know: I’m a twin. My sister, Morgan, plays basketball, too. I’m more serious about basketball and she more or less just plays for fun. We’re complete opposites.

Most underrated part of your game: Maybe assists and defense sometimes.

Toughest individual opponent: [North Allegheny’s] Rachel Martindale.

Person who has influenced you most, other than a parent: My grandfather [Rudy Marisa] He played at Penn State and coached so long. Every time I go to his house, he wants to teach me about game.

******************************************************

ALEXA WILLIAMSON
Chartiers-Houston • 6-1 • Forward • Senior

The scoop: Williamson averaged 30.7 points and 14 points this season and had school-record 51 points in PIAA first-round playoff game. She scored double-digit points in every game this season and led team to first WPIAL title a year ago. Leaves as the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,213 points. She is 25th on the WPIAL all-time scoring list.

College talk: Williamson has signed with Temple.

Most memorable moment this season: Probably beating, Bishop McCort, the game before we played Bellwood-Antis [in the PIAA quarterfinals].

Favorite basketball player of all time: Probably either Russell Westbrook or Steph Curry.

Favorite person to follow on Twitter: I like to follow just all the sports accounts that just keep me updated with scores and stuff.

People might be surprised to know: Probably that I used to cheer.

Most underrated part of your game: I think passing.

Toughest individual opponent: Probably Alli Campbell from Bellwood-Antis.

What makes her good? She can just do everything. She can shoot, she can drive, she's just really good.

Person who has influenced you most, other than a parent: Probably all my coaches.

******************************************************

AMANI JOHNSON
East Allegheny • 5-5 • Guard • Senior

The scoop: Johnson averaged 26.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 3.9 steals per game. She shot 53 percent from field and 38 percent from 3. She had 2,354 career points, 16th-best in WPIAL history.

College talk: Johnson has signed with Kennesaw State.

Most memorable moment this season: Playing at the Petersen Events Center [for the WPIAL championship].

Favorite basketball player of all time: I don't really have one player, because I think LeBron's the best. I like Skylar Diggins a lot.

Favorite person to follow on Twitter: I can't think of a particular person, but I like the funny side of Twitter. I don't like when people get too serious on there.

People might be surprised to know: I used to be in orchestra [cello]. And I played with the boys [in basketball] until ninth grade.

Most underrated part of your game: I score a lot, so people don't know that I'm also a pretty good passer.

Toughest individual opponent: Bishop Canevin. Bri Allen's pretty tough for us, but I would just say their whole team.

Person who has influenced you most, other than a parent: Can I say my school? Because our school always had terrible sports, and I just feel like staying at our school was a big motivation for me and helping turn around the sports program and building up the support from the community.

******************************************************

BELLA POSSET
Beaver 5-8 • Guard • Senior

The scoop: Posset led Beaver to its first appearance in a WPIAL championship. She averaged 19.6 points, 4.8 steals, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, shooting 77 percent from free throw line. Posset finished with 1,601 career points.

College talk: Posset has signed with Robert Morris.

Most memorable moment this season: The WPIAL championship even though we didn't win. It was still so much fun. It was a great thing that happened in our season and I'll never forget it.

Favorite basketball player of all time: I love LeBron James ... And Skylar Diggins.

Favorite person to follow on Twitter: I would say food accounts because I love looking at food and how to make it... I literally follow so many.

People might be surprised to know: I love romantic movies.

Favorite romantic movie? Endless Love.

Most underrated part of your game: Probably my pull-up [jump shot].

Toughest individual opponent: [Blackhawk’s] Mady Aulbach.

Person who has influenced you most, other than a parent: Probably my best friend, Sydney [Barney], because she's always been there for me and when I'm on the court, she doesn't let me get down.

******************************************************

RACHEL MARTINDALE
North Allegheny • 5-9 • Guard • Junior

The scoop: Versatile player who helped North Allegheny win second consecutive WPIAL title. Averaged 15.3 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals a game. Has 186 career 3-pointers and 1,002 points. Sustained torn ACL in her left knee in WPIAL final.

College talk: Committed to Pitt for softball as a freshman, but changed mind and will play basketball in college. Has a few Division I offers.

Most memorable moment this season: Winning the WPIAL, celebrating with my teammates and scoring my 1,000th point in that game.

Favorite basketball player of all time: LeBron James.

Favorite person to follow on Twitter: Probably the Post-Gazette high school sports one because I like the scores and standings.

People might be surprised to know: I was on the 12-year-old tournament baseball team and I had the highest batting average on the team.

Most underrated part of your game: Rebounding and passing.

Toughest individual opponent: [Peters Township’s] Makenna Marisa.

Person who has influenced you most, other than a parent: [North Allegheny coach] Spencer Stefko. He’s taught us it’s not all about being a good basketball player. It’s about being a good person off the court, too.