John Heller, Post-Gazette Antonio Reddic: College coaches are finding out the Aliquippa senior's basketball ability. Click photo for larger image.

At an average Aliquippa basketball game, people have 20-20-21 vision.

Those are the scoring averages of Aliquippa players Herb Pope, Antonio Reddic and Jonathan Baldwin. They are the Quips' version of Lethal Weapons III.

No one has records to prove it, but three players from one team averaging 20 points a game is rare in WPIAL history. Baldwin, a 6-foot-6 junior forward, leads at 21 points per game. Pope, a 6-9 senior forward, and Reddic, a 6-3 senior guard, average 20 a game.

This might put the trio's scoring prowess in perspective: The WPIAL has 131 boys' basketball teams and the Aliquippa trio is scoring more points a game than 98 teams.

Overall, Aliquippa is the No. 1 scoring team in the WPIAL, averaging 79 points a game. The Quips also are the Post-Gazette's top-ranked Class AA team.

The scoring of Pope and Baldwin isn't surprising. Both averaged 18 points a game last season and both received plenty of publicity. Pope was the Post-Gazette Player of the Year in 2006 and has signed with New Mexico State. Baldwin is an outstanding two-sport athlete (football and basketball) with scholarship offers in both.

Reddic, though, isn't as well-known.

"He's kind of like our secret weapon," Aliquippa coach Marvin Emerson said. "A lot of people don't understand how good he is."

Apparently some colleges understand. Emerson said some Division I schools are showing interest in Reddic.

"Duquesne and Akron have come to our games to see him and have called about him," Emerson said. "He's strong, is very athletic and he's fast."

But Reddic also is a football prospect at defensive back. He will visit West Virginia University at the end of the month.

Quips face power

One of the more interesting games involving a Western Pennsylvania team will be Saturday when Aliquippa plays Philadelphia Prep Charter in the SportsFever Challenge at York College.

Prep Charter is the defending PIAA Class AA champion and the Harrisburg Patriot-News' top-ranked Class AA team in the state. Aliquippa is ranked No. 2.

Pope and Baldwin will face twin brothers Marcus and Markieff Morris of Prep Charter. Marcus is 6-8, Markieff 6-9 and both have signed with Memphis.

Two too many

Center coach Mark Jula was slapped with four technicals in a recent game. Actually, that's two more than he should have received.

A coach or player is ejected from the game after receiving two technicals. According to WPIAL officials, a coach should receive only two because he is then ejected.

Any coach or player thrown out of a game is ineligible to participate in the next game. But Jula missed only one game because he should have received only two technicals.

Big 33 explanation

The Pennsylvania team for June's Big 33 Classic all-star football game was announced last week and some big-name players were not on the squad.

Some top Pitt recruits were not picked, including Manheim Township quarterback Pat Bostick, Keystone Oaks lineman Myle Caragein and Erie Strong Vincent receiver Mo Williams.

Some Penn State recruits from Pennsylvania also weren't selected, including Southern Columbia lineman Josh Marks.

Although some of the selected players aren't ranked highly or aren't highly recruited, there was a reason they made the team. The selection committee simply thought they were better, based on film.

The Pennsylvania Football Coaches Association selects the Big 33. A committee of 46 coaches around the state met to view films of nominated players. The coaches break up into smaller committees to pick players for certain positions.

"We have a quarterback committee, a line committee and so on," said Garry Cathell, former Butler High School coach and president of the PFCA. "The selection process has really evolved the last six or seven years. Before it was just a big mass meeting of some coaches. We'd talk to Pitt, Penn State and recruiting services and we would just talk and pick the team, as opposed to seeing the kids on film."

Coaches who want to nominate a player are asked to send a highlight tape and one game tape of that player.

"It's not an exact science," Cathell said. "We picked 34 kids and there are probably 34 others out there who might be just as good. But there is no politicking going on, contrary to what everyone thinks."

The committee viewed tapes on more than 400 seniors. Bostick is ranked by some scouting services as one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the country. But Dan Persa of Bethlehem Liberty and Chris Whitney of Saint Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia were selected as the quarterbacks.

"Pat Bostick was evaluated and the committee felt he was a really, really good quarterback," Cathell said. "But they really felt like they wanted to go with the other two kids because they liked them better."

Coatesville lineman Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech recruit) and Greensburg Central Catholic receiver-defensive back Nick Sukay (Penn State recruit) were ineligible to play because they already are enrolled at their colleges for the spring semester.

Tar Heels again

Woodland Hills offensive lineman Mike Dykes and Perry offensive lineman Cameron Holland made verbal commitments to North Carolina last summer, but said they would look elsewhere after coach John Bunting was fired.

But Woodland Hills coach George Novak and Perry coach Bill Gallagher said their players are comfortable with North Carolina again. All that's left to seal the deal is a meeting with new coach Butch Davis.