Wagner’s Nicole Melious Caps Amazing Hoops Career with PSAL’s Wingate Award

by jdelpriore1, posted in Basketball, High School Basketball, psal, SPORTS

Susan Wagner High School senior guard Nicole Melious put an exclamation point on her fantastic season, as the PSAL bestowed her with the Wingate Award for girls’ basketball, the league’s top player honor, it was announced today.

Melious, who is committed to La Salle University on a full scholarship, averaged an impressive 43.1 points, 11.4 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game in the 2022-23 PSAL campaign.

Wagner’s Nicole Melious gets ready to put up foul shot.

The 5-foot-9 Staten Island native finished with 3140 points for her high school hoops career, made more specular by playing in just five games and scoring 191 points as a sophomore in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.

Additionally, Melious claimed all-time top scoring titles in the PSAL, New York City and Staten Island high school ranks, boys and girls. Also, she finished as New York state’s single-season record holder with 1137 points, as well as per game points average (43.1) this past year.

Melious also led the Falcons to back-to-back PSAL girls’ final appearances against South Shore at the Barclays Center.

After a renowned high school and AAU basketball career, her dad, Dan Melious, who coached Melious as a member of AAU Hoopers NY squad, extolled her for her amazing hardwood abilities, and for good reasons.

Tom Rizzo and Nicole Melious discuss court action.

“I’m so very proud of my daughter,” Melious explained. “She’s worked hard her entire life. Her high school career is nothing short of legendary. What she has done for Wagner High School, Hoopers NY and Staten Island basketball, is just extraordinary. Three Jaques Awards (Staten Island’s top high school basketball player), two New York Sportswriters Player of the Year (awards), records and now the prestigious Wingate (Award), is the cherry on top.”

Dan Melious is not the only person who gushed over Nicole Melious’ dynamic court skills.

“Nicole Melious is not only the greatest player to walk through Wagner’s doors, but as I said at the Wagner awards dinner, this is something you will never see again,” Wagner head coach Tom Rizzo said. “She’s the greatest of all time in Staten Island and perhaps NYC, arguably. I’m going to miss her. No doubt she will be great at La Salle.”

— Jerry Del Priore

Photos: Dan Melious