Talented youth or veteran leadership.

Which is better to have on your team?One look at the Times News Basketball All-Star teams will reveal that the answer is both.The boys squad is full of experience, as five of the six were seniors this season. As for the girls squad, all four classes are represented, including a pair of freshmen. Five of the six girls will be returning to their respective teams next year.Below are bios on every player on our First Team squad.Boys are listed first, with the names listed alphabetically.BOYSJOE EGAN, NORTHERN LEHIGHSECOND TO ONE... Egan was a consistent scorer throughout the season, and finished as the second-leading scorer in the TN area. He tallied 346 points in 22 games to end with an average of 15.73 points per game (second to Mohammed's 15.88). He hit double figures 18 times, and had a season-high 27 points against Palisades on Jan. 9 against Palisades. "He struggled a little early with his jump shot, but he continually was able to get to the basket," said head coach Jeff Miller. "He has a quick first step that enables him to get past defenders. Later in the year he was able to find his shot."20-SOMETHING... The senior, who finished his career with 956 points and an average of 11.12 ppg, reached the 20-point mark eight times - the most of any TN area boys player. During his four-year Bulldog career, he scored double figures 45 times.LEADERSHIP ROLE... The only senior starter, Egan accepted the role of a leader and helped the team improve its record by six wins - going from 1-21 a year ago to 7-15 this season. "Coming into the year he was the only player with significant varsity experience," said Miller. "He did a great job of being a leader for our team, leading us in practices and at times in games. When we'd get in spots where we couldn't score or get a stop, he's the one we'd look to to get a basket or come up with a key rebound."ALL-AROUND PLAYER... Besides the scoring, Egan made his presence felt in other ways. He led the Bulldogs in rebounding, collecting 141 for an average of 6.41 per game. He was second on the club in assists (40) and steals (27) and blocked a team-high 12 shots. "He became a good team player with his passing and his assists. Because two guys were always running at him, he was able to find the open guys. He distributed the ball well. Defensively, he often guarded the biggest man on the other team. Between his junior and senior year he became a lot stronger, which definitely helped him confidence-wise."MATT ELMORE, JIM THORPESCORING TOUCH... The Olympians' main force in the lane, Elmore finished the year with a scoring average of 12.19 points per game, tallying 317 points in 26 games. He reached double figures 17 times, including a game-high 21 against Panther Valley on Dec. 9. "We've been a balanced team for a few years now, so we're not always looking for scoring from one guy. He came through, though, when we needed him to. Whenever we needed a big basket, he's a guy we'd look to.TOUGH IN THE PAINT... While Elmore did most of his scoring in the lane, he also was a force on the boards. He led the Olympians in rebounding, averaging seven per game. At 6-2, he gave away inches against other team's post players, but made up for it in other ways. "He was a big rebounder and did it against bigger guys," said McElmoyle. "He was just so quick with his jumping."DEFENSIVE STOPPER... Elmore blocked shots and altered many others. He often got the task of shutting down an opponent's big man, and readily accepted the job. "He was a good defender," said McElmoyle. "We used him more than just inside. He also played at the top of our 1-3-1 zone. Versus bigger teams, he'd have to guard the biggest players and he always answered the challenge. He was relentless at harassing those bigger players, getting them off their spots and receiving the ball in positions they really didn't want it."MORE ON MATT... One of the senior leaders on the team, Elmore almost got the foul line for than any other Olympian. He hit 70-of-116 free throws for a solid .603 percentage. He also chipped in with an average of two steals per game. "He was a big part of our team," said McElmoyle. "He improved every year because of his hard work. His shooting touch especially improved. He was a smart player and had high expectations for our team."ANDRE MCDOWELL, LEHIGHTONTOPS ON THE TEAM... The Indians featured a balanced scoring attack, with their starting five all averaging over 8.5 points per game. McDowell led the way, scoring 227 points for a team-leading 9.87 ppg average. His skills from the point guard position helped guide Lehighton to a 16-7 overall record and a 9-5 mark in Schuylkill League Division 1 play.CAREFUL WITH THE BALL... The senior handed out a team-high 70 assists, an average of 3.04 per game. He did this while only turning the ball over 47 times, an impressive figure considering his position. "We needed him to run the offense and he ran the offense well," said Lehighton head coach Rich Oertner. "He got the ball to the players who could score ... He had the ball in his hands a lot, and had very few turnovers."GETTING TO THE LINE... While McDowell hit 24 three-pointers and was a threat from the perimeter, he didn't mind driving to the basket. That was evidenced by his getting to the free throw line more than any other Lehighton player. He finished 59-of-85 from the stripe, shooting a solid percentage of .694. "He would look to pass instead of shoot the ball, but if he had an open shot he could hit it," said Oertner. "He had the ball in his hands a lot, and would get fouled and get to the line ... He did drive to the basket at times, and was quicker than most people thought."MORE STATS... McDowell reached double-digit scoring 16 times, including a high of 17 points in a win against Minersville on Jan. 12. The team was 12-4 in the games he scored at least 10 points. He also led the Indians in steals with 51, and pulled down 69 rebounds. "Andre is very quick and out front (in our triangle and two defense) he was basically able to cover two guys ... He's one of the better point guards I've had in my career coaching."CHRIS MICCICHE, JIM THORPELEADING THE WAY... Micciche was the leading scorer for the Olympians this season, finishing the year with 335 points in 26 games - an average of 12.88 per contest. He reached double-digit scoring in 20 of his team's 26 games and had a high of 24 points versus Tamaqua on Feb. 7. He ended his senior season with 735 career points. "He learned to read the game as he got older," said head coach Jason McElmoyle. "He's a great player in reading the passing lanes, and he created his own offense with his defense, creating steals and turning them into points."AS HE GOES... Micciche helped the club post a record of 14-12. He reached double-digit scoring in all 14 wins, and the Olympians were 0-6 in games he scored less than 10 points. His scoring average in wins was 14.57, while in losses it dropped to 10.92. Led the way in team's district semifinal game against Salisbury, scoring nearly half of his team's points (23) in a 48-35 victory that clinched a spot in the title game.LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING... Besides his scoring numbers, which also included 13 three-pointers and a .698 percentage (44-of-63) from the free throw line, Micciche also chipped in with an average of three rebounds per game, three assists per contest, and three steals a game. He also was an excellent ball-handler and served as the team's point guard. "He was a guy who did a little bit of everything," said McElmoyle. "He didn't shoot a lot of perimeter shots, but he could make them. He was able to get into the paint and would get everybody shots. He did a good job getting to the rim."COACH ON THE FLOOR... As one of the team's seniors, he displayed leadership qualities that will help the younger players down the road. "He'd be the first to practice and would get guys into the practice routine," said McElmoyle. "He definitely made my job easier ... He became a smart player and just knew what to do on the floor. He'd tell guys if they weren't in their spots where to go. He also sensed when the game needed to be slowed down, and would take control."BRANDON MOHAMMED, MARIANDOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE... Mohammed recorded 19 double-doubles this season. He posted double figures in scoring 20 times, and had 10 or more rebounds in 22 games. He also averaged a double-double, finishing the season with 15.88 points per contest and 14.0 boards per game. "He's a tremendous rebounder and he limited teams to just one shot," said Marian head coach John Patton.IN THE CLUTCH... The Marian senior scored a team-high 17 points and pulled down 18 rebounds in the District 11 Class 2A semifinal game against Moravian Academy to help the Colts win a 57-55 double-overtime decision and advance to the finals. His leadership all year helped Marian capture a Schuylkill League Division 3 championship, a district title, earn a state playoff berth, and post a 21-5 record. "He was dominant early when we needed him because we had four new starters," said Patton. "He was the focus of other team's defenses ... He's just a great team player. He gets other people involved."AREA LEADER... Mohammed's 397 points and 15.88 ppg average were both tops among all Times News area boys players. He had a high game of 31 points against Mahanoy Area on Jan. 6, and pulled down 21 rebounds three different times - once in the district title game. He also led the area in free throws and attempts (111-of-170).OTHER NUMBERS... The TN Player of the Year also dished out 45 assists, collected 38 steals, and blocked 80 shots. He ended up shooting an incredible .634 percentage (137-of-216) from the field. "He was very good at going straight up with his hands," said Patton. "We often played a triangle and two and kept him on the weak side, lending itself to him blocking some shots. As many shots as he blocked, he probably altered twice as many."THAD ZUBER, TAMAQUAFIRST-TEAMER AGAIN... Of the six boys players on the Times News First Team, Zuber is the only one who made the team a year ago. He is also the only underclassman, and will try to make it three in a row next year. While Zuber's scoring average dropped from 15.09 points per game to 12.14, there was a reason for that. "This year, we didn't have to rely on his scoring as much because we had some players around him that could knock down shots," said head coach Jim Barron. "Just like last year, though, he did a little bit of everything for us."BACK TO THE PLAYOFFS... After missing the postseason with a 6-16 record last season, Zuber was the leader on a team that improved its regular season mark to 13-9 and clinched a district playoff berth. "We pretty much went as he did," said Barron. "When he was going well, we went well; when he struggled, we kind of struggled. This year he came in and knew he was going to be a leader, and took to the role well."A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS... Zuber reached double figures in 12 games this season, and hit the 20-point mark three times. He had a high-game of 27 points against Blue Mountain and has now scored 632 points in his career. He hit 26 three-pointers, raising his career number to 63. Besides his scoring, he also led the Blue Raiders in rebounding (6.41 per game), assists (3.14 per game), and steals (1.68 per game).ON AND OFF THE COURT... The junior is involved in plenty, both on the court and off. He plays both ends of the floor well, and is a well-rounded student. "He's a great kid, and a great student. He's involved in a lot of activities. You don't have to worry about any off-the-court issues with him ... He's a strong defender. He's quick, and it's tough to drive on him."GIRLSBRENNA KARNISH, MARIANANOTHER SOLID SEASON... A senior who played four years at the varsity level, Karnish capped her final season in impressive fashion. She hit double-figure scoring in 16 of the 23 games she played in, and finished with 321 points for a team-leading 13.96 average. She had a high game of 26 points against Loyalsock on Dec. 22, and added a 25-point effort versus Mahanoy Area on Feb. 6.QUITE A CAREER... Karnish ended her career with the Fillies scoring 827 points. During her four seasons, the team posted a record of 80-21. She was also a part of the 2013-14 District 11 championship team. "She was our biggest leader this season, both on and off the court," said head coach Paul Brutto. "She used to defer to the upperclassmen, which is natural, but this year as a senior she knew her role and she produced. She wasn't a point guard, but she was our second best ball-handler. She was our go-to person when we needed something done."FILLING THE STAT LINE... Besides her scoring, Karnish also collected 93 rebounds for an average of 4.04 per game. She had a high of eight boards against Nativity. She also dished out 50 assists and came up with 35 steals. She went to the foul line a team-high 117 times, hitting on 75 of them for a percentage of .641. She added 20 three-pointers, including 12 over her final five games. Inside the three-point line, she hit 50 percent of her shots from the floor (93-of-186). "We have a saying here that if you're versatile, you're valuable," said Brutto. "She could drive, and shoot from the perimeter. You could put her in almost any situation, and she'd produce."GETTING DEFENSIVE... Besides her outstanding numbers, Karnish also got the job done on defense. "Most times, she would draw the other team's best player on defense," said Brutto. "When you draw that assignment, it takes a lot out of you. Being a shut-down defender can be taxing and take away from your offensive production but she still led us in scoring."KAYLEY KOVAC, JIM THORPEONLY GETTING BETTER... After outstanding seasons in her freshman and sophomore years, Kovac was even better as a junior. Her scoring average rose slightly to 25.95 points per game, tallying 571 points in 22 games. She reached the 30-point mark nine times, including a season-high 40 on Feb. 6 in a win over Tamaqua. For her career, she now stands at 1,647 points. "She led the area in scoring her freshman and sophomore seasons, and you just didn't think she could increase on that but she did," said Jim Thorpe head coach Rob Kovac. "To average 26 points a game is pretty impressive."BEAST ON THE BOARDS... Kovac does more than just score, as evidenced by her other statistics. The two-time Times News Player of the Year pulled down 245 rebounds, or 11.14 per contest, thus allowing her to average a double-double. Of those boards, 88 of them came at the offensive end. She finished with 12 double-doubles, and her high rebounding game was 20 against Tamaqua on Jan. 13.HOW MANY FREE THROWS?... The Olympian junior, who is No. 1 in her class academically, got to the line often, and had much better success there than her first two seasons. Kovac ended the year an amazing 177-of-264 at the charity stripe, easily the most among area players. She attempted more foul shots than four other Times News girls teams. Her percentage of .670 was a big improvement over his first two years of .502 and .512. "I'd like to tell you we discovered some great secret," said Coach Kovac. "She always had the mechanics but maybe she just rushed it. It just started to click for her. From January on, she probably shot 80 percent at the line. She really didn't change anything. We just eliminated some extra stuff and at some point she found it."OVERALL PLAYER... While her scoring is always noticed, and her rebounding also stands out, some might be surprised to know that she also led her team in assists, handing out 69 of them - an average of 3.14 per game. In addition to that, she paced the Olympians in steals with 67 and also blocked 14 shots. "We saw small improvements across the board from her," said Coach Kovac. "It's hard for her to improve on her numbers, but we saw her improve."EMMA KUCZYNSKI, TAMAQUAFRESHMAN PHENOM... In her first season of varsity basketball, Kuczynski made her presence known right away. She scored 29 points in Tamaqua's opener, and continued her scoring prowess the rest of the year. She finished the season with 418 points in 23 games, an average of 18.17 per contest. She reached double-digits in all but one contest (eight against North Schuylkill), and had a high game of 34 versus Panther Valley on Dec. 23. "She stepped in and didn't play like a freshman at all," said head coach Erika Davis. "She's a slasher and a driver, but as the season went on her jumper got better. She has a nice catch-and-shoot release. We're hoping that maybe she'll be able to develop into a three-point threat."PLAYOFF BOUND... Kuczynski's play helped the Blue Raiders go from a two-win team into a postseason club. A year ago, the team was just 2-20, but with her in the lineup, Tamaqua posted an 11-11 regular season and reached the district playoffs. Her average was 20.45 ppg in games her team won. "She's a humble player and a team-first player who makes her teammates better just by being on the floor," said Davis.GLASS CLEANER... The 5-7 guard/forward wasn't timid around the rim, finishing second on the team in rebounds with 143 - an average of 6.22 per contest. She had a season-high 15 boards against North Schuylkill on Dec. 20 and also pulled down 11 in a game against Shenandoah.MORE TO HER GAME... The ninth grader showed her versatility, leading the team in other categories. Her 50 assists were first on the squad, while on defense she was tops in steals (80) and deflections (42). She was also solid at the foul line, shooting 97-of-154 for a .630 percentage. "She has the ability to make something out of nothing," said Davis. "She uses her speed and ability to get to the rim. She's always hustling, and sees the floor well. She gets in passing lanes on defense, and gets many transition points that way."LEIGHANNA LISTER, NORTHWESTERNA FORCE INSIDE... A 6-0 junior, Lister made her presence felt inside. After a slow start (6.4 points per game average in her first five games), the Tiger scored double digits in 17 of her team's final 20 games. She finished the season with 309 points for a 12.36 average, hitting for a season-high 19 points against Moravian Academy on Feb. 11. She ended the season with 599 career points. "She was our leading scorer and rebounder so obviously she meant a lot to our team," said head coach Chris Deutsch. "When we needed a basket, she was the person we looked to. I think she was the best center in the league, and one of the best in the area."RACKING UP REBOUNDS... The Colonial League First Team all-star selection was a force on the boards - at both ends of the floor. Lister led her team in rebounds with 213, an average of 8.52 per game. She almost collected as many at the offensive end (102) as she did at the defensive end (111). "She's a really good shot-blocker and rebounder and that's because she gets herself in the right position," said Deutsch. "She has excellent footwork. She beats girls to spots because of her quickness and many times she just wants it more. Rebounding comes down to hard work and she's all about hard work."SHE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES... With a nice touch inside, Lister shot the ball at a high percentage. She went 120-of-223 from the floor, a percentage of .538. She also was 68-of-100 at the foul line. Her efforts helped the Tigers post a 16-9 record, earn a league playoff berth, and reach the district playoffs.ALL-AROUND ATHLETE... Besides scoring and rebounding, Lister topped the team in blocks with 53. She also added 24 assists and 21 steals. "She's very athletic and has a lot of versatility. She's so athletic she can cover a point guard ... She's one of the most coachable players I've ever had. She's very unselfish, and she's always about the team. She would much rather score two points and win then score 25 and lose. When you have players like that, it just makes the team so much better."EMILY SHAUD, MARIANFAB FRESHMAN... Shaud burst onto the scene for the Fillies, scoring 265 points in 22 games - an average of 12.05 per game, which was second-best on the team. She reached double figures in 16 of her 22 games played, including five straight games to end the season, hitting for a high of 20 against Lake-Lehman on Feb. 7. "Did she play like a freshman? Not even close," said head coach Paul Brutto. "If anyone that saw her play didn't know her grade, they would never think she was a ninth grader. She's very skilled and developed. She handles the ball well, and we weren't afraid to put the ball in her hands."SHOOTING TOUCH... The freshman greatly improved her shooting over the second half of the season. In her first 12 games, she hit on 46-of-125 shots from the floor, a percentage of .368. Over her final 10 games, she went 39-of-73 for a .534 percentage. Shaud was the team's top three-point threat, hitting 33 times from long distance. "If there's an area we'd like to see her improve on it would be a little more consistency on her three-point shooting, but that's being nick-picky. Her basketball IQ is good ... and it will get even better as she gets more game experience."OTHER NUMBERS... Shaud also provided other solid statistics. She pulled down 81 rebounds, an average of 3.68 per game, and came up with 64 steals, or 2.9 per contest. She also finished the season with 55 assists, and shot 62-of-95 (.653 percentage) from the free throw line.MAKING AN IMPRESSION... While her numbers stand out, her attitude and style of play speak volumes. "She's tough as nails," said Brutto. "She took or tried to take as many charges as the rest of our team combined. She has no fear and you can't teach that. She's aggressive ... and difficult to beat on defense because she's not lazy. She's a sponge when it comes to learning. You can tell her something once and it happens."EMILY ZOSCIN, WEATHERLYWRECKING OPPONENTS... Zoscin, just a sophomore, continued where she left off as a freshman. A natural scorer, she finished the season as the area's second-leading scorer. In 23 games, she tallied 443 points for an average of 19.26 points per game. In just two years, she already sits at 757 career points. She also hit 28 three-pointers. "Emily means a lot to our team," said head coach Kevin Kringe. "We ask her to do a lot for us. She must attack and score for us on offense as well as set others up by breaking down the defense."CARRYING THE LOAD... The high scorer in 19 of her team's 23 games, Zoscin reached double-digit scoring 21 times. In 10 of those games, she reached at least 20 points, including a high of 37 against Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg on Dec. 16. "I really do not know another player in our league that has as much expected of her for her team to be successful as Emily," said Kringe. "She has a lot on her plate during the game and she has handled it very well. I am so proud of the hard work she has put in and the growth she has shown as a player and a young lady."CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS... In addition to her scoring, Zoscin was the team leader in rebounds and assists. She finished with 195 boards for an average of 8.48 per game. She also dished out 70 assists, an average of 3.04 per contest. In Weatherly's created stat category of hustle, she earned a team-leading +131. "Since she draws so much attention on offense, she frees up others to do their thing," said Kringe. "We are still working on seeing the floor better and I think that quality will be even better next year. I think seeing the floor a little better and setting up her teammates more will be something that will help us take that next step."YOUNG LEADER... Despite being just a 10th grader, her overall play has lent her to being a leader. She has helped the team collect 20 wins over the past two seasons, earning districts berth both years. Prior to that, the team had missed districts 10 straight seasons. "Emily's best quality is her competitiveness," said Kringe. "She never quits and is always, I mean always, trying to attack. She is always trying to make something happen and trying to help the team. Because she always brings it at practice everyday, she helps pick up our level of play ... I look forward to coaching her for another two years."