Trib HSSN basketball team of the week for Feb. 22, 2026

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, February 22, 2026 | 8:15 PM

Previous Next

Trib HSSN basketball team of the week – South Allegheny Gladiators boys

Coach – Tony DiCenzo (14th season)

Record – 15-8 overall, 7-3 and third place in Section 3-3A

#Earned – There is an old boxing adage that to beat the champion, you have to knock them out.

Reigning WPIAL Class 3A boys basketball champ South Allegheny has been staggered by some punches throughout the regular season and in two rounds of the postseason, but the Gladiators are still standing as they return to the district semifinals.

It’s been a season of transition for the 2025 champions, as they suffered through a five-game losing streak at one point and finished in third place in a Section 3-3A.

Of course, that section has proven how tough it was with three teams still alive heading into the Class 3A Final Four.

A big regular-season ending win over section foe Seton LaSalle played a part in South Allegheny landing the No. 8 seed in the 16-team WPIAL bracket and hosting a first round playoff game against Ellwood City.

In Glassport, the 8-9 game was tight as expected, with South Allegheny leading by one after one quarter and two points at the half.

The SA lead ballooned to four heading into the fourth quarter as the Gladiators held on to beat the Wolverines, 52-50.

In the quarterfinals, South Allegheny was pitted against the No. 1 seed and outright champion of Section 1-3A, Mohawk.

The game, played at North Allegheny, was close throughout with the Gladiators leading by four points after one quarter, by one point at halftime and by two heading into the fourth quarter.

A tip in of a missed shot in the waning seconds put the Gladiators up by one, and a half-court heave at the buzzer by the Warriors’ Bobby Fadden was on target, but hit the back of the rim and bounced out as South Allegheny celebrated the first upset of a top seed in this year’s district playoffs, 64-63.

The win sent SA back to the semifinals where it will face a familiar foe Tuesday in Shady Side Academy.

The Gladiators defeated the Bulldogs twice this season by a combined score of 112-74.

Scoring stars – For a team in transition, it’s nice to have a scorer like senior guard Drew Cook.

Cook had 10 regular-season games in which he scored 30 or more points.

He led the WPIAL in scoring with 592 points and an average of 28.2 points per game.

His scoring touch has transitioned nicely into the postseason.

In the first round win over Ellwood City, Cook led all scorers with 25 points.

Senior Jake Uher, who missed some time due to injury this season, is back and added 17 points in the home win over the Wolverines.

Then, in the Friday quarterfinal stunner of PIAA top-ranked Mohawk, Cook scored a team-high 20 points, with none bigger than his putback with 3 seconds remaining for the winning basket.

Gladiators coach Tony DiCenzo said the secondary scoring in the stunner of Mohawk was a huge part of the win.

Drew’s younger brother, sophomore Alijah Cook, scored 17 points and Uher added 15 for South Allegheny.

2026 Trib HSSN Basketball Teams of the Week

Week 5 – Fox Chapel Foxes girls

Week 4 – Quaker Valley Quakers boys

Week 3 – Belle Vernon Leopards girls

Week 2 – Beaver Falls Tigers girls

Week 1 – Knoch Knights boys

Tags: South Allegheny