With loaded lineup, Sewickley Academy boys back for more

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, December 7, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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It may be difficult to top last season’s success for the Sewickley Academy boys basketball team.

But the Panthers appear up for the challenge.

Sewickley won the Section 2-2A championship with a 12-0 record, strung together 15 wins in 16 games during one stretch, advanced to the WPIAL semifinals and wrapped up the season as the PIAA runner-up with a 24-6 record.

The Panthers lost a 55-54 heartbreaker to Linville Hill Christian in the PIAA title game March 28 at Hershey’s Giant Center. It was the first time Sewickley had qualified for the state finals since 2017.

“We are really excited about the upcoming season,” coach Mike Iuzzolino said. “The expectation for this year’s team is to improve and get better every day — just focus on one day at a time and make the most of that opportunity.

“We have been trying to play at a faster pace on offense.”

One of the main reasons for Iuzzolino’s excitement about the Panthers is the return of most of the starters from last year’s squad, led by Mamadou Kane, a 6-foot-8 sophomore forward who averaged 15.9 ppg last season.

Sewickley was ranked No. 1 in Class 2A in the Trib HSSN boys basketball preseason rankings, and Kane was recognized as the Class 2A Preseason Player of the Year. The preseason Top 5 in Class 2A consisted of Sewickley Academy, Jeannette, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Neshannock and Clairton.

Kane’s bookend teammate in the frontcourt, junior Adam Ikamba, also stands 6-8. The duo offers a dominating presence near the basket.

“Mamadou and Adam continue to improve and gain a better understanding of the game,” Iuzzolino said. “Adam never played organized basketball before he came to Sewickley, so there is a huge learning curve for him. But he continues to progress.”

Three other returning starters are seniors: guard/forward Lucas Grimsley, forward Amare Spencer and point guard Caiden Battles.

“Coach has always been hard on us about defense,” Battles said. “Many teams want to score as many points as possible, but ultimately defense wins games. We have been very successful with our defensive principals.”

Justin Prunzik, a 6-foot forward, rounds out the team’s senior class; Ikamba is the lone junior.

Kane is one of eight sophomores on the squad along with guards Drew Steals, Connor Tull, Chris Tull, Isaac Soumare and Carson D’Antonio and forwards Rob Southall and Ja’mere Guyton.

“Connor Tull, Ja’mere Guyton and Justin Prunzik all have roles this season,” Iuzzolino said.

Two guards, Drake Miller and Eric Cracium, and forward Ibrahim Kante add to the depth on the team as top freshmen.

The 6-4 Grimsley was one of the team’s best shooters last season with 306 points and 59 3-pointers. He also accounted for 102 rebounds, 40 assists and 26 steals and was named second-team all-state in Class 2A.

“Lucas is a senior, and I expect leadership from him and to be consistent on both ends of the floor,” Iuzzolino said. ”Lucas is a very good 3-point shooter but also has the ability to attack and finish at the rim.”

One of Grimsley’s most impressive performances last year was delivered March 8 at home in the first round of the PIAA tournament. Grimsley sparked Sewickley to a 64-36 victory over Windber, connecting four times from long range en route to a 15-point explosion in the opening eight minutes.

“Lucas has the ability to get hot quickly,” Iuzzolino said. “When he is making 3s, he becomes difficult to guard, and it opens up so many other options for us.

“One thing about Lucas is he is very coachable and willing to listen and learn and put in the work. If we want to achieve the success we had last year, Lucas needs to be a big part of that.”

Not only is Grimsley an outstanding shooter, he offers a formidable presence on defense.

“He has good size,” Iuzzolino said. “He makes it difficult on the guy he is defending to get off clean looks.”

Another reason perhaps making Sewickley’s second-year floor boss smile is the team’s depth. Prior to Thanksgiving, Iuzzolino said a starting lineup was not yet in place.

“We are still trying to figure that out,” he said. “We have 12 guys all competing for minutes.”

The Panthers suited up the best defensive team in Western Pennsylvania last season with a 38.5 ppg average. They averaged 56.3 ppg offensively.

“Defense wins games; offense just determines by how much,” Iuzzolino said.

Sewickley stormed through its section schedule in 2024-25. All 12 section wins were by double digits; the average score was 62-34.

The Panthers defeated Bentworth, 59-26, and Chartiers-Houston, 48-39, in the WPIAL tournament before losing a 45-25 decision to Jeannette in the semifinal round.

The Panthers secured a spot in the state playoffs with a 51-37 victory against Neshannock in the third-place game, then won consecutive PIAA games against Windber, 64-36, Lakeview, 56-35, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 42-35, and Greensburg Central Catholic, 52-48.

Sewickley’s rousing come-from-behind win against GCC sent the team on its trip to Hershey.

“You can’t teach the experience of playoff basketball,” Iuzzolino said. “You have to go through it.”

Sewickley thoroughly enjoyed a lopsided home-floor advantage last season, winning 10 of 11 games at Win Palmer Court.

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