Eli Teslovich is a four-year starter at Shady Side Academy with a WPIAL championship to his credit and more than 1,500 points for his career — so why isn’t his name consistently mentioned among the top guards in the WPIAL?
Count Bulldogs coach David Vadnais as stumped.
“I’m biased, but in my opinion, he has not received the attention he deserves,” Vadnais said. “He’s a game-changer.”
Teslovich might be flying under the radar compared to some of the area’s most acclaimed stars, but that won’t be the case much longer if he keeps up his stellar play for Shady Side. The senior guard registered a game-high 30 points Tuesday night in a 73-56 home win against Derry (12-6, 6-5), propelling the red-hot Bulldogs (13-6, 9-2) to their seventh consecutive victory.
Seamus Riordan chipped in 22 points for Shady Side, while Nate Papuga led a trio of players in double figures for the Trojans with 20.
“If we’re struggling, just get [Teslovich] a ball screen or just get him the ball and get out of the way,” Vadnais said. “He’s excellent. He’s a winner. He’s a joy to coach. I love going into the gym and interacting with him on a daily basis.”
The Bulldogs schedule will be ramping up from here, with a trip Friday to Deer Lakes next up to take on the defending WPIAL Class 3A champions in the Section 3 finale. That game will be followed by two non-section showdowns against South Allegheny and Knoch to close out the regular season.
After a slow start to the year, Shady Side is surging into championship contention while seeking its second WPIAL title in the past three seasons. And with the postseason just around the corner, there’s no better time than now for the Bulldogs to hit their stride.
“I think we’re playing our best basketball of the year. Last year, I think we played our best basketball in December or early January,” Vadnais said. “We’re rounding into form as a team. Guys are really buying in to what we’re doing. … We’ve got to keep our heads down and keep grinding.”
Other boys games
• In a battle for the top spot in Class 3A Section 2, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart moved into a tie for first place with Seton LaSalle after rallying for a 53-50 comeback win against the visiting Rebels (15-5, 10-1). Jake Johnson, Tiernan McCollough and Owen Minzers each scored 12 points for the Chargers (16-4, 10-1), who trailed by eight entering the fourth quarter. Hayden Merchant led all players with 17 points for Seton LaSalle.
• Rochester put itself in position to secure the Class 1A Section 1 crown with a 53-47 win at Union, extending its winning streak to seven games in a row in the process. Four players reached double figures for the Rams (14-5, 8-1), led by 17 from Jaydin Norman and 16 from Xavier Rigby. Braylon Thomas scored a game-high 21 points for the Scotties (11-10, 7-2). Rochester now has won 12 of its past 13 games after a 2-4 start.
• Playing without five-star junior Meleek Thomas, defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 4A champion Lincoln Park breezed past Central Valley for an 83-64 home win in Class 4A Section 2. Mikey Crawford scored a team-leading 24 points for the Leopards (16-3, 10-0) and Brandin “Beebah” Cummings tacked on 21. Isaiah Jeter led all scorers with 26 points for the Warriors (12-7, 5-5).
• Peyton Wehner posted a game-high 17 points for defending WPIAL Class 6A champion Central Catholic (12-8, 7-2), helping the Vikings defeat Butler at home, 57-48. Donovan Carney finished with 13 points to pace a trio of players in double figures for the Golden Tornado (15-4, 5-3).
• Towering 6-9 forward Tyler Robbins led all scorers with 19 points for Upper St. Clair in a 67-44 home win against Canon-McMillan in Class 6A Section 2. Brett Meinert added 15 and Christian Ito chipped in 14 for the Panthers (14-5, 7-2). Evan Morris finished with 13 points for the Big Macs (9-11, 4-5).
• Hampton remained unbeaten in Class 4A Section 1, picking up a 56-48 win at Knoch (13-7, 6-3) to clinch the section title outright. Peter Kramer led three double-digit scorers for the Talbots (16-3, 8-0) with 16 points, followed by 14 from Alex Nyilas and 12 from Robert Coll. Jackson Bauman scored a game-high 18 points for the Knights along with 16 from Teegan Finucan.
• Penn recruit Bradyn Foster combined with senior guard Cam Reigard to power Highlands to an 84-57 win at Indiana in Class 5A Section 2. The 6-8 Foster finished with 33 points, including a trio of 3s, and Reigard added 29 while making five 3-pointers for the Golden Rams (14-6, 6-3). Tristan Redinger tallied 15 points on five 3-pointers for the Little Indians (8-12, 2-7).
• Thomas Jefferson toppled visiting Bethel Park, 60-36, to remain perfect in Class 5A Section 1 play. Evan Berger led three players in double figures for the Jaguars (17-3, 9-0) with 16 points, while Noah Prosser added 14 and Kane Eggerton contributed 13. Nick Brown led all scorers with 18 points for the Black Hawks (11-9, 6-3).
• Notorious Grooms and Calvin Winfrey scored 14 points apiece for Uniontown (17-3, 8-1), and Jeremiah Hager and K’Adrian McLee each finished with 11 for the Red Raiders in a 69-29 home win against Elizabeth Forward (13-7, 5-4) in Class 4A Section 3. Isaiah Turner led the Warriors with 11 points.
• Four players reached double figures for defending WPIAL Class 5A champion Penn Hills (12-7, 5-4) in an 83-69 win at Plum in Class 5A Section 2, led by 19 points from Robert Thomas and 17 from Amon Hawthorne. Max Grice led all scorers with 22 points for the Mustangs (6-14, 0-9).
• Senior point guard Logan Golle continued his terrific season with a game-high 28 points for Allderdice (17-3, 9-0), aided by 13 from Azerick Jetter in an 87-33 rout at Perry. Javon Diamond finished with a team-leading 12 points for the Commodores (2-14, 1-6).
• Brody Barber was razor-sharp from long rage for Mt. Lebanon in a 57-22 home win against Norwin (7-12, 1-8) in Class 6A Section 2. He knocked down four 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 26 points for the Blue Devils (17-3, 8-1).
• Ty Iwanonkiw led all scorers with 24 points and Joey Dopirak chipped in 19 for North Allegheny (10-11, 7-2) in a 73-52 win at Seneca Valley in Class 6A Section 1. Tyler Pepin scored a team-high 14 points for the Raiders (6-15, 2-7).
• Joseph Roth put up another double-double for Ellwood City, scoring a game-high 32 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in a 65-47 triumph at Beaver Falls (7-12, 6-6) in Class 3A Section 1. Nate Williams added 13 points for the Wolverines (13-7, 8-3), while Da’Talian Beauford led the Tigers with 18 points.
• Ty Daniels scored 16 points to lead four double-digit scorers for Northgate in a 69-56 win at South Side in Class 2A Section 1. Josh Williams added 14 for the Flames (15-4, 7-2), while Andrew Corfield finished with a game-high 21 points for the Rams (7-12, 2-7).
• Emerging as one of the top dual-sport sophomores in the area, Bobby Fadden scored a game-high 25 points for Mohawk as the Warriors (14-6, 10-0) remained undefeated in Class 3A Section 1 competition with a 68-26 blowout win at New Brighton (2-17, 0-11).
• Mount Pleasant scored 32 points in the fourth quarter, rallying for a 63-54 win at Waynesburg in Class 3A Section 4. Connor Pavlochak led the Vikings (8-10, 7-3) with 19 points to go with 18 from Chase McCloy. Cole Headlee finished with 15 for the Raiders (7-14, 2-9).
• Isiah Petty poured in a game-high 31 points for Serra Catholic (14-6), and Owen Dumbroski chipped in 19 along with 11 from Chris Warren to help the Eagles soar to a 65-53 non-section win at Chartiers-Houston (15-6). Nate Gregory scored a team-leading 15 points for the Buccaneers.
Girls games
• One of two undefeated teams remaining in the WPIAL, Peters Township kept its perfect record intact with a 52-33 win against visiting Chartiers Valley in Class 6A Section 2. Natalie Wetzel led the way with 17 points for the Indians (20-0, 11-0), and Gemma Walker followed closely with 16 along with 11 from Daniela Radulovich. Ava Shazer tied for the game high with 17 points for the Colts (14-5, 7-4).
• Rachael Manfredo tallied a game-high 22 points, leading three players in double figures for McKeesport in a 72-22 home win against Connellsville (4-15, 0-11) in Class 5A Section 3. The Tigers (18-2, 10-1) will play host to unbeaten Oakland Catholic Thursday for a chance to split the section crown in the regular-season finale.
• Greensburg Central Catholic kept Clairton star Iyanna Wade well below her WPIAL-leading average of 41.8 points per game, limiting Wade to 22 points while remaining unbeaten in Class 2A Section 3 action with a 77-36 road win against the Bears (15-4, 7-4). Erica Gribble led all scorers with 25 points for the Centurions (15-5, 11-0), and Mya Morgan was right behind her with 24.
• Bayleigh Perez scored a game-high 17 points for Shaler (7-14, 4-7), and Jorja Bernesser tacked on 11 for the Titans in a 44-40 home win against Hampton (11-9, 6-5) in Class 5A Section 2. Meghan Murray finished with 16 points for the Talbots.
Three stars
*** — Elijah Guillory, Moon. One of the area’s brightest stars, Guillory buried five 3-pointers en route to a game-high 30 points for the Tigers in a 74-42 win at West Allegheny in Class 5A Section 4.
** — Shaye Bailey, Freedom. It wasn’t anywhere close to her career-high 51-point outburst from last season, but Bailey put on a show on her home court with a game-high 40 points in a 66-26 non-section win over Riverside.
* — Mike Plasko, South Fayette. The No. 7 scorer in the WPIAL, Plasko more than doubled his season average of 24.1 ppg, dropping a career-high 50 points for the Lions in a 69-64 win at North Hills in Class 5A Section 4.
Hot from deep
Players with 3 or more 3-pointers: Michael Wisniewski, Ligonier Valley, 6; Elijah Guillory, Moon, 5; Vinny Manzella, California, 5; Tristan Redinger, Indiana, 5; Brody Barber, Mt. Lebanon, 4; Cameron Reigard, Highlands, 4; Syzair Dungee, Ringgold, 4; Logan Golle, Allderdice, 4; Gary Tarbuk, Geibel Catholic, 4; Bradyn Foster, Highlands, 3; T.J. Kubicsek, Chartiers Valley, 3; Alex Nyilas, Hampton, 3; Julian Semplice, Chartiers Valley, 3; Zach Washington, Quaker Valley, 3.
Boys scores
Aliquippa 72, Laurel 31
Allderdice 87, Perry 33
Aquinas Academy 41, Hillel Academy 24
Baldwin 63, Hempfield 50
Beaver 78, Ambridge 65
Belle Vernon 72, Albert Gallatin 61
Beth-Center 66, Bentworth 57
Bishop Canevin 68, Eden Christian 55
Brentwood 71, Keystone Oaks 27
Burgettstown 72, Frazier 44
Burrell 65, Apollo-Ridge 31
California 72, Geibel Catholic 46
Carlynton 55, Avella 35
Carrick 83, Westinghouse 49
Central Catholic 57, Butler 48
Charleroi 62, Brownsville 46
Chartiers Valley 65, Mars 50
Deer Lakes 81, Valley 62
Ellwood City 65, Beaver Falls 47
Fort Cherry 72, Carmichaels 35
Fox Chapel 60, Woodland Hills 41
Franklin Regional 49, Gateway 41
Greensburg Salem 48, Freeport 46
Hampton 56, Knoch 48
Highlands 84, Indiana 57
Imani Christian 77, Summit Academy 34
Jeannette 63, Springdale 50
Kiski Area 62, McKeesport 41
Lincoln Park 83, Central Valley 64
Mohawk 68, New Brighton 26
Monessen 59, Mapletown 48
Montour 65, Avonworth 38
Moon 74, West Allegheny 42
Mount Pleasant 63, Waynesburg 54
Mt. Lebanon 57, Norwin 22
Nazareth Prep 70, Propel Braddock Hills 28
Neighborhood Academy 70, St. Joseph 23
New Castle 65, Pine-Richland 62
North Allegheny 73, Seneca Valley 52
North Catholic 103, Blackhawk 62
Northgate 69, South Side 56
Obama Academy 61, Brashear 38
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 53, Seton LaSalle 50
Penn Hills 83, Plum 69
Penn-Trafford 71, Latrobe 61
Peters Township 76, Trinity 39
Ringgold 55, Connellsville 47
Riverside 42, Freedom 39
Riverview 64, Leechburg 27
Rochester 53, Union 47
Serra Catholic 65, Chartiers-Houston 53
Shady Side Academy 73, Derry 56
Shaler 61, Armstrong 35
Shenango 57, Sewickley Academy 49
South Allegheny 61, Quaker Valley 39
South Fayette 69, North Hills 64
South Park 49, Sto-Rox 42
Southmoreland 55, Laurel Highlands 52
Thomas Jefferson 60, Bethel Park 36
Uniontown 69, Elizabeth Forward 29
Upper St. Clair 67, Canon-McMillan 44
West Greene 38, Jefferson-Morgan 30
West Mifflin 81, East Allegheny 55
Winchester Thurston 68, Ligonier Valley 59
Yough 40, McGuffey 38
Girls scores
Allderdice 63, Perry 9
Freedom 66, Riverside 26
Greensburg Central Catholic 77, Clairton 36
Lincoln Park 43, Montour 41
McKeesport 72, Connellsville 22
Obama Academy 44, Brashear 36
Peters Township 52, Chartiers Valley 33
Propel Braddock Hills 31, Hillel Academy 26
Shaler 44, Hampton 40
West Greene 45, Jefferson-Morgan 32
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
