With experience, depth, Norwin boys poised to make noise in Class 6A

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, November 27, 2025 | 4:01 PM

One unique thing about Norwin’s senior basketball players is that all of them specialize in one sport.

They are basketball junkies. Hoop enthusiasts. Gym rats.

“All basketball dudes,” Knights alum and second-year coach Cam Auld said. “It’s nice to have them all year round. At some smaller schools, you only get them a few months out of the year.”

Senior-strong Norwin could be primed for another playoff season in Class 6A with a mix of experience and leadership blending with Auld’s calculated approach.

“With all of the experience we have, I think we can have one of the better teams Norwin has seen in a while,” senior guard Mario Csukas said. “We have a lot of guys who can score. Anybody can be the top scorer any given night.”

Csukas, a streaky 3-point shooter who led the team in scoring at 13 points a game last year, is one of four returning starters, joining seniors Nate Kuch, Alex Graney and Chris McKnight.

Auld has nine seniors in total, with Stefano Giannikas, Dom Kantz, Max Levendosky and Noah Carney also looking to make an impact.

“I want these guys to communicate as much as possible,” Auld said of his seniors. “Maybe there are times when I don’t say something in the right moment, but one of them will know enough to say it instead. They are leaders. They have set up team dinners and workouts themselves.”

Auld said he has seen growth in his senior group.

“In Year 2 when I coaching at Greensburg Salem, I saw that jump in belief and understanding, and I am starting to see it here,” Auld said. “I have seen it in practice over the summer. The guys are starting to see how it works.”

Norwin finished 10-12 overall and 6-8 in Section 2-6A (fifth place). It lost to Mt. Lebanon, 61-34, in the first round of the playoffs.

Auld, 27, is big on defending and believes that is what will start another run at the postseason.

“I always want us to be a defense-first team,” he said. “We need to get stops and be tough, relentless. When we defend, good things happen.”

On the offensive side, Auld wants the Knights to move more.

“I want to get into more modern basketball,” he said. “Last year, we taught them to play without the ball. It’s a lost art. You do so much in basketball without the ball.

“Also, we didn’t rebound well. When you work so hard on defense and then don’t rebound, it’s a disservice to that effort.”

Csukas, Auld said, can be a 15-to-20-point scorer who can make three to five 3s a game.

He also thinks Kuch and Graney can be double-figure scorers.

“If we have three guys averaging 12 (points), that’s 36,” Auld said, presenting an example. “If our other guys average eight or nine a game, and five or six combine for 20, we win 56-52.”

Norwin’s highlight last year was a 51-49 win over fifth-ranked Mt. Lebanon in overtime.

Norwin has a strong nonsection schedule that includes North Allegheny, Penn-Trafford, Pine-Richland, South Fayette, Jeannette, Peters Township and Belle Vernon.

“I want our guys to play with a blank jersey in front of them,” Auld said. “It’s about us. I want them to believe they are worthy of winning.”

Auld said the postseason is the main goal because it is attainable.

“Get to the playoffs,” he said, “no matter how it looks. Whether we win the section or tip-toe in.”

Norwin boys at a glance

Coach: Cam Auld

Last year’s record: 10-12 (6-8 Section 2-6A)

Returning starters: Mario Csukas (Sr., G), Alex Graney (Sr., G-F), Nate Kuch (Sr., G/F), Chris McKnight (Sr., G)

Others to watch: Noah Carney (Sr., F), Stefano Giannikas (Sr., G)

Top newcomers: Potter Brozeski (Jr., F), King Carver (So. G)

SCHEDULE

11.29, North Allegheny, 1:30 p.m.

12.2, Penn-Trafford, 7:30 p.m.

12.5, Pine-Richland^, 6 p.m.

12.6, TBD^

12.9, at Upper St. Clair*, 7 p.m.

12.12 Connellsville*, 7:30 p.m.

12.13, Jeannette+, 3 p.m.

12.16, at Imani Christian*, 7:30 p.m.

12.19, at Peters Township. 7:30 p.m.

12.23, at Mt. Lebanon*, 7:30 p.m.

12.29, Olentangy#, 3 p.m.

12.30, Belle Vernon#, 1:30 p.m.

1.6, Central Catholic*, 7:30 p.m.

1.9, at Canon-McMillan*, 7:30 p.m.

1.13, Hempfield*, 7:30 p.m.

1.16, at Connellsville*, 7:30 p.m.

1.20, Imani Christian*, 7:30 p.m.

1.23, Upper St. Clair*, 7:30 p.m.

1.27, Mt. Lebanon*, 7:30 p.m.

1.30, at Central Catholic*, 7:30 p.m.

2.3, Canon-McMillan*, 7:30 p.m.

2.6, at Hempfield*, 7:30 p.m.

*Section game

^Mike Rettger Memorial Tournament at Franklin Regional

+WCCA Shootout

#Peters Township tournament

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin