In 1st season as Sewickley Academy boys coach, Mike Iuzzolino likes team’s competitive drive

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, December 1, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Mike Iuzzolino is head coach of the Sewickley Academy boys basketball team.

To basketball fans, his name rings a bell.

Iuzzolino played college basketball at Penn State and St. Francis (Pa.). He competed scholastically at Altoona and was a high school teammate of Doug West, who went on to have a successful NBA career.

Sewickley’s first year floor boss is a retired professional basketball player.

He was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 1991 NBA draft as a 5-foot-10 point guard. He played two years with the Mavericks and was included in the popular arcade game NBA Jam.

After his NBA career, Iuzzolino competed professionally in Italy and Spain.

Iuzzolino held assistant coaching positions at Saint Vincent, Duquesne and George Mason before becoming the director of basketball operations at Canisius. In 2013, he assumed the same role at New Mexico.

Prior to being hired at Sewickley, the 56-year-old Iuzzolino served as an assistant and an associated head coach at Robert Morris for eight seasons.

Iuzzolino has basic instructions for the Sewickley players.

“To play hard, smart, have fun and be competitive in every game,” he said. “Also, to represent Sewickley Academy in a positive way.”

Iuzzolino has inherited a WPIAL playoff team at Sewickley that finished 13-10 overall in 2023-24.

After losing their season opener a year ago, the Panthers won six of seven to take a 6-2 record into section play.

Sewickley finished fourth at 4-6 in Section 1-2A behind Aliquippa (10-0), Northgate (8-2) and Shenango (6-4), then lost to Jeannette, 52-47, in the WPIAL first round.

“Right now, we don’t have any starters,” Iuzzolino said Nov. 25. “All our players are competing every day to win their position. It’s been a lot of fun watching guys competing and working every day.

“They are all new to me with this being my first season. We have a nice mix of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors who are all working hard and preparing for the upcoming season. They have been adjusting to a new coach, new system and some a new school.”

Well coach, we’ll toss out a few names for you.

Offensively, the Panthers were led last season by then-sophomore Lucas Grimsley, who averaged 15 points per game as a 6-3 forward.

“We reached one of our goals, which was to make the playoffs,” Grimsley said. “That was exciting for our school and fanbase. Ultimately, we came up a little short in that game.

“Coach Win Palmer was in our hearts all season. He taught us to stay together no matter how difficult the situation and to always conduct ourselves with dignity.”

Grimsley was complemented by 6-2 forward Nolan Donnelly and 5-6 guard Caiden Battles, who averaged around 10 ppg. Donnelly is a senior in 2024-25; Battles is a junior.

Donnelly, and forwards Amare Spencer, then a 6-2 sophomore, and True Robinson, then a 6-2 freshman, paced Sewickley on the boards last season.

Also back this season are seniors Caleb McAdams in the frontcourt, Jack Xu in the backcourt and Henry Latte at center; along with sophomores Grant Karlik at guard and Robinson.

Grimsley, Battles, Spencer and Justin Prunzik are the only juniors on the team. Donnelly, McAdams, Xu and Latte are seniors.

There are 14 freshmen in the program in 2024-25 and a trio of sophomores, including Adam Ikamba.

“All of the student-athletes have approached every day with a passion to learn and improve,” Iuzzolino said. “I have really enjoyed being around these young men and hope I can help them in this journey on and off the court.”

Sewickley is a member of Section 2-2A this season along with Brentwood, Eden Christian Academy, Leechburg, Northgate, Propel Braddock Hils and Winchester Thurston.

Tags: Sewickley Academy