The Times' 2022 Boys' Basketball Player of the Year Jake DiMichele leaves a winning legacy

CORAOPOLIS ― While many could never even begin to imagine it, Jake DiMichele claims the vision was always clear.

The historic scoring efforts, the many wins and all the accolades collected along the way were always part of the plan. Before his high school career at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH) High School even began, DiMichele just knew he had what it took to finish as an all-time great.

“I just have confidence in myself, and I knew how good our team was going to be,” DiMichele said. “I knew how much work I put in. I’m not trying to (sound) cocky or anything, but I wasn’t coming into high school to lose. I’m trying to win every year.”

DiMichele was successful; he indeed did “win every year.” He won championships — six of them: four WPIAL and two PIAA, to be exact. He won in bunches, leading the way for OLSH’s state-record-tying 68 consecutive victories. He won individual matchups, finishing his career with 2,642 points.

And of course, he won awards. All-state selections, PIAA Class 2A player of the year honors and now, for the third straight season, the Beaver County Times High School Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year award.

“It’s definitely special,” DiMichele said. “I know this area has a lot of basketball history and tradition. It feels good to be represented as the Player of the Year in this area three years in a row. That’s a tough feat to do but I think it’s a testament to how I’ve stayed focused and continued putting in hard work.”

DiMichele is the first player to ever receive Times' Player of the Year honors for three straight seasons.

There were numerous other players in The Times' coverage area this winter who in most years would’ve been runaway candidates for the award. However, just as is the case on the court, DiMichele simply couldn’t be denied.

After stringing together impressive seasons as a sophomore and a junior, the 6-foot-3 guard was at his best as a senior. In 26 games, DiMichele averaged 31.9 points and 8.1 rebounds. As the reigning PIAA Class 2A Player of the Year, he was far from a secret weapon, but it didn’t matter; from the start of the year until the end, opponents had no answer for No. 0.

“Personally, I think he was way better this year than he was last year,” teammate Bryson Kirschner said of DiMichele. “I worked out with him in the gym every day this summer and saw how hard he worked to improve. Every time he comes on the court he’s working. He never takes a play off.”

DiMichele’s senior season wasn’t just dominant — it was historic. On March 5, he became the first player ever start in and win four WPIAL titles. A few weeks later, in the PIAA Class 2A championship, his 25 points moved him to second place on the WPIAL’s all-time scoring list, trailing only Tom Pipkens (2,828) of Valley.

“It has been a joy coaching Jake these past four years,” OLSH head coach Mike Rodriguez said. “Jake always brought a high basketball IQ along with grit and toughness in every game he played. A quiet leader, Jake not only excelled on the court but in the classroom as well with a 4.2 GPA and as a member of the National Honor Society. He and his fellow seniors in this outstanding class will certainly be missed.”

With his legacy now cemented, DiMichele’s focus now shifts to what’s next. Many would assume a player with his resume would have no problem finding opportunities at the next level. However, because of factors like the transfer portal and all college athletes receiving another year of eligibility due to the pandemic, DiMichele’s collegiate plans remain up in the air.

As of now, the Chargers’ star has offers from three Division II programs but is hoping that a team at the highest level will give him an opportunity. For DiMichele, that’s all he will need: An opportunity to be great, and more importantly, an opportunity to help another team win.

Contact Noah Hiles at nhiles@gannett.com. Follow him on twitter @_NoahHiles.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: DiMichele named The Times' 2022 Boys' Basketball Player of the Year