ALEX GENSLER

SCHOOL: Upper St. Clair.

WHO IS SHE? A starting forward for the girls' basketball team, the No. 4 seed in the WPIAL Class AAAA tournament. Gensler is the Panthers' leading scorer at 18.0 points per game.

THE PAST WEEK: Alexandra Gensler, a 5-foot-10 junior, scored 23 points Friday in a 68-51 first-round victory against Gateway. That was the Panthers' first postseason triumph since they won the WPIAL title in 2003.

Upper St. Clair (21-4) will face Pine-Richland (14-11) in a quarterfinal at 3 p.m. Saturday at Plum.

CAREER: Gensler started at guard as a sophomore, but coach Ernie Koontz needed her up front this season.

A SURE SHOT: Gensler has scored 23 points or more in each of the past five games, averaging 25.2.

She has a simple explanation for her recent prosperity: "I guess I'm shooting better."

Her specialties, she said, are driving to the basket and playing defense.

SUCCESS IS RELATIVE: Gensler is the oldest of four children.

Her father, Terry, played basketball for Upper St. Clair and the University of Delaware. Her sister, Taylor, an eighth-grader, also plays basketball.

FUTURE: Gensler, a one-sport athlete, is getting interest from Division I programs.

She has a 3.8 grade-point average.

By Rick Shrum

KALEB RAMSEY

SCHOOL: Laurel Highlands.

WHO IS HE? A 6-foot-4, 250-pound junior forward who recently had one of the best individual scoring performances in WPIAL basketball playoff history.

THE PAST WEEK: Ramsey scored 43 points Saturday in an 85-76 Class AAA first-round victory against No. 2-seeded Highlands. It was the fourth-highest point total in a WPIAL playoff game. The record is 48, set by Central Catholic's Marc Marotta in 1980.

"I was just playing to win. I wasn't thinking about points," Ramsey said. "Then, at the end of the game, the announcer at the scorers table said I had 43. I was shocked, actually."

SEASON: Ramsey is averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds a game for Laurel Highlands (13-12), which will play Valley in a Class AAA quarterfinal tomorrow night.

Ramsey is the primary reason Laurel Highlands turned around its season.

"We started the season 0-6, and here we are beating the No. 2 seed in the WPIAL," Ramsey said.

FOOTBALL STAR: Ramsey also is a talented tight end-defensive end in football and was offered a scholarship by Pitt last week. Virginia, Michigan and Notre Dame are among the other schools showing strong interest.

"It's like I've said before," Ramsey said. "Basketball is my first love. But, since I haven't grown that much, I'm a little undersized for basketball."

By Mike White