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4/1/2007 3:31 AM

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Associated Press

PITTSBURGH - One of Pennsylvania's top high school basketball players was hospitalized with injuries from a shooting early Saturday, officials said.

Aliquippa High School senior Herb Pope, 18, a three-time first team all-state player, was shot twice in the lower abdomen, once in the left lower arm and once in the thigh around 3 a.m., Aliquippa Police Chief Ralph Pallante said.

"I'm sure (the wounds) were serious, but they didn't appear to be life-threatening," he said.

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The 6-9 center told police he was shot at a party in Aliquippa, but did not know who shot him or why they shot him, Pallante said.

Pope said he attended the party in an area where there are few houses, and investigators were still trying to determine exactly where it took place, he said. Police do not know what type of gun was used in the shooting, he said.

Pope was dropped off at Aliquippa Community Hospital and walked into the hospital's emergency department. He was stabilized and flown to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh, where he underwent surgery Saturday morning, Pallante said.

Linda Reed, a spokeswoman for the hospital, declined to confirm that Pope was at the hospital.

A woman who answered a phone call to a number believed to be that of Pope's residence said she had no comment.

Pope, who signed a letter of intent to attend New Mexico State, averaged 19 points this season while leading Aliquippa to the WPIAL Class AA championship and a runner-up finish in the PIAA tournament.

Reggie Theus, men's basketball coach at New Mexico State, said in a statement Saturday that "we hope Herb is okay and makes a full recovery."

"This goes way beyond basketball," he said. "It is way too early to know a lot right now, we just hope that he is OK."

Pope had been scheduled to fly Saturday to Chicago, where he was to play in Tuesday's Roundball Classic, an all-star game featuring many of the top prep players in the country.

He last appeared with Aliquippa on March 24, when the team lost 68-66 to Prep Charter of Philadelphia in the PIAA Class AA championship game at Penn State University.

Michael Zmijanac, Aliquippa High School's athletic director and football coach, said late Saturday he had been informed of the incident, but that he did not know Pope's condition.

He said it was difficult to speculate on whether the shooting will impact Pope's future in basketball.

Pope was chosen as an Associated Press first-team all-state player for the third consecutive season and as a fourth-team Parade All-American.

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