Over the past several years, many athletes across the Beaver Valley have had the chance to compete at the highest level of collegiate athletics.
This year is no different, as many athletes across the coverage area compete at the Division I level in men’s college basketball.
Let’s take a look at the local products that are making waves at the next level.
Brandin Cummings, Pittsburgh (Lincoln Park)
In his first season with his hometown team, Cummings has found success through the first month of the season. He has appeared in 10 games, averaging just under 15 minutes, while averaging just over five points per game. The Midland, Pa., native has connected on eight 3-pointers and shot the ball at a 30 percent clip from beyond the arc and 42 percent from the field. In the Panthers’ loss to Mississippi State on Dec. 4, Cummings posted a career-high 12 points, his second double-figure performance of the season after Pitt’s opening game of the 2024-25 campaign against Radford, when he put up 11 points in his collegiate debut.
Jake DiMichele, Duquesne, (OLSH)
The McKees Rocks native burst onto the scene last season for the Dukes after coming to Duquesne as a walk-on and starting 22 games, helping the team to its first A-10 Championship since 1977 and the Round of 32 of March Madness, averaging 6.9 points per game. Now on a full scholarship, the OLSH graduate is averaging 10.9 points and 1.6 assists per game. He posted a season-high 21 points against Milwaukee on Nov. 19. DiMichele is second on the team in scoring.
Duquesne MBB: Jake DiMichele earns full ride at Duquesne following stellar freshman season
Elijah Guillory, Youngstown State (Moon Area)
Guillory has yet to appear in a game in his freshman season for Youngstown State.
Puff Johnson, Penn State (Moon Area)
Johnson is putting together his best season of collegiate basketball. In his second season with the Nittany Lions, the Moon Twp. native is averaging 10.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while starting in all nine games. Johnson ranks fifth on the team in scoring and has helped Penn State to an 8-1 record.
LA Pratt, Northeastern (Lincoln Park)
After spending his first two seasons at Elon, Pratt has enjoyed his first year at Northeastern, averaging 8.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. In his first game as a Husky, Pratt put up a season-high 24 points against Boston University. The 6-foot-5 guard has reached double figures in three games.
Adou Thiero, Arkansas (Quaker Valley)
After averaging just five points per game in two seasons at Kentucky, Thiero has almost quadrupled his offensive output in his first nine games as a Razorback. The 6-foot-8 forward has averaged 18.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists. The Quaker Valley graduate has reached his season-high 26 points twice in Arkansas’ loss to Illinois on Nov. 28 and win over UTSA on Dec. 7. He has also eclipsed the 20-point mark on five occasions and is leading the Razorbacks in scoring while ranking sixth overall in the SEC.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Former Beaver Valley basketball standouts at Division I level
