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Sunday, April 09, 2000 By Paul Zeise, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
At some point next year, West Mifflin Coach Phil Shar knows he will have to sit down and write a new playbook because his current one officially expires the day Tanisha Wright plays her last game.
"I'll be honest, when she graduates, 80 percent of my plays won't work any more," Shar said. "Every one of them is the same -- get the ball to Tanisha in the open court and she'll take care of the rest."
A 5-foot-9 junior, Wright shined this season, averaging 24.6 points, 10 rebounds, 5.8 steals and 5.5 steals per game.
Wright led the Titans to a 28-3 record but it was her performance in one of those losses that set her apart from the rest.
In the WPIAL Class AAA championship game, Wright scored a title-game record 51 points but the Titans lost an 81-78 triple-overtime thriller to Blackhawk. Wright fouled out in the second overtime.
Wright has been selected the Post-Gazette Player of the Year, an award which takes into consideration all players in the WPIAL and City League.
Wright is the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,764 points.
She is being recruited by, among others, Michigan, Penn State, Connecticut and Pitt.
Jessica Brungo
At 6-1, Brungo is capable of playing all five positions. During her first three seasons as a starter for the Tigers, Brungo was mostly a forward, but this year, as a senior, she filled the team's void at point guard.
Brungo, a Penn State recruit, scored 462 points (15.9 per game) and led her team in rebounding (9.2), assists (3.0), blocks (4.3) and steals (2.6). The Tigers were 23-6 and Class AAAA Section 3 champions.
In four seasons, Brungo has played in a school-record 119 games and helped the team to a 96-23 record.
She is the school's all-time leader in scoring (1,544 points) and blocked shots (426).
Katie Bulger
Bulger was a big reason Oakland Catholic went 31-1 and won the WPIAL title.
The Eagles were balanced and plenty of good players, but when things got tight and the team needed points, it was Bulger who provided them.
On the year, Bulger, who is a West Virginia recruit, led the Eagles in scoring (18.7), steals (3.1) and blocks (2.2). She also averaged 2.2 blocks and shot 92 percent (72 of 78) from the free-throw line.
A four-year starter, Bulger has helped the Eagles to a 102-19 record and two WPIAL titles. She is the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,282 points.
Ashlee Kelly
A 6-0 center, Kelly was virtually unstoppable in the low post. She led the Blue Devils to a 27-5 record and helped them reach the WPIAL finals and PIAA semifinals before losing to Oakland Catholic both times. Kelly led the team in scoring (18.6) and rebounding (14.9).
A Quinnipiac (Conn.) recruit, Kelly has been a starter for three seasons and helped the team to a 72-13 record. She is the school's all-time leading rebounder (1,350).
Jess Strom
Strom was the WPIAL's leading scorer (27.7 points per game) but also proved herself capable of carrying Steel Valley, a team with little height and less experience, into the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs.
In the final game of the regular season, Strom scored a school-record 46 points and had 10 assists, 10 rebounds and eight steals to lead the Ironmen to an 82-58 playoff-clinching win over Elizabeth Forward.
This season, Strom scored 694 points and became the third junior to reach 2,000 career points. She finished the season with 2,054, only 49 points shy of the school record. She also led the team in assists (9.3) and steals (6.8).
A 5-7 guard, Strom is being recruited by Notre Dame, Pitt, North Carolina State and Penn State.
The Post-Gazette Fabulous Five and the WPIAL and City League All-Star teams were selected by the Post-Gazette scholastic sports staff.
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