UPDATED: All-stater Rosenthal chooses college

Wallenpaupack's Elijah Rosenthal dribbles against Dylan Schuster from Dallas. (Zachary Allen photo)

Posted: May 01, 2020

By Tom Robinson, NEPABasketball.com

Elijah Rosenthal had a busy Friday.

The Wallenpaupack senior woke up to congratulatory text messages about the latest reward for his high school accomplishments, then added a phone call in which he committed to his college choice.

Rosenthal, NEPABasketball.com’s choice for District 2 Boys Player of the Year, became the 13^th and final player – and the third boy – from the district to receive all-state recognition from Pennsylvania Sports Writers. Just after midnight, the Class 5A all-state team was released with Rosenthal being picked to the third team.

“Being recognized as an all-state player is a great accomplishment and I couldn’t be happier,” Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal finished as his school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,525 career points. As a senior, he averaged 20.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Nearly half of his points came on 3-pointers.

Wallenpaupack won Lackawanna League Division 2 titles and made state tournament appearances each of the past two seasons. The Buckhorns won their first district championship in 17 years with Rosenthal hitting the basket that put them ahead to stay in the come-from-behind overtime victory over Pittston Area in the semifinals and then making the clinching free throws in the closing seconds of a 33-32 championship game victory over Dallas.

Rosenthal said he understood the low-scoring Feb. 28 game at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza may have seemed boring to some, “but to get that as a team, that was one of the greatest feelings.” He said the title was more memorable because of sharing the experience with coach Jim McGinnis, who had been a player on the last championship team.

Rosenthal was named Lackawanna Division 2 Player of the Year by NEPABasketball.com each of the past two seasons after being a first-team division all-star as a sophomore. Prior to being named District Player of the Year this season, he was a second-team, all-District 2 choice as a junior.

The high school success led to Rosenthal receiving recruiting interest from multiple National Collegiate Athletic Association schools on both the Division II and Division III levels. When the Division II offer he had hoped for did not materialize, Rosenthal committed to Misericordia, informing coach Will Chandler of his decision.

“The D-II didn’t really work out, but they missed out on me, so now I just have to go in and prove that I was worth something like that and I can play at that level,” said Rosenthal, who had a career-high 43 points, with help from seven 3-pointers, during an 87-81, double-overtime loss to Scranton Prep in his junior season. “I’m going to go into (Misericordia) and just play my game and hopefully bring a championship there. We’ll see what happens.”

Rosenthal plans to major in exercise science.

This is the second straight season in which Misericordia will be adding an all-state guard from a District 2 program. Nate Kreitzer made an early impact with the Cougars, earning Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom Rookie of the Year honors.

Zach Rovinsky from Western Wayne, who made the second team in Class 4A, and Kieran Burrier from Holy Cross, who made the third team in Class 2A, were the other District 2 boys selected to all-state teams this week. A total of 10 girls were chosen last week, including Dunmore’s Moriah Murray and Riverside’s Kylie Lavelle both making the first-team in Class 3A as sophomores.

Archbishop Wood, which knocked Pittston Area out in the second round of the state tournament, led the way with four selections. It was scheduled to face Dallas in the quarterfinals when the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association canceled the remainder of the state tournament because of the coronavirus.

The Vikings placed point guard Rahsool Diggins, a junior, on the first team for the second straight year. They also had Jaylen Stinson and Daeshon Shepherd make the second team and Marcus Randolph make the third.

Michael Carmody, who started for Mars in the 2018 state championship game loss to Abington Heights, made the first team. He was also a first-team, all-state choice in football, the sport he is committed to play at Notre Dame.

Malvern Prep senior Deuce Turner, who is committed to Bucknell, was named Player of the Year. Malvern Prep plays in the Inter-Academic League and is not part of the PIAA.

Tyrone Nesby, who guided Muhlenberg to the District 3 final and the second round of the state tournament, was named Coach of the Year.

2019-20 PENNSYLVANIA SPORTS WRITERS

CLASS 5A ALL-STATE BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM

First team

Deuce Turner, 6-1, Sr., G, Malvern Prep

Rahsool Diggins, 6-3, Jr., G, Archbishop Wood

Andrew Carr, 6-10, Sr., F, West Chester East

Michael Carmody, 6-6, Sr., F, Mars

Quadir Copeland, 6-5, Jr., F, Gettysburg

Rodney Gallagher, 6-0, Fr., G, Laurel Highlands

Second team

Jaylen Stinson, 6-0, Jr., G, Archbishop Wood