WPIAL boys basketball Class 2A season preview for 2025-26

By: Don Rebel
Monday, November 24, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Three of the besty WPIAL teams from a year ago in Class 2A boys basketball have plenty of returning talent to remain near the top again this season.

District champion Jeannette, state runner-up Sewickley Academy and 21-win OLSH return 13 of their 15 starters from last season.

Here is a rundown of players to watch, the preseason Top 5 teams and other notables in the crowded WPIAL 2A boys basketball field this season.

Preseason Player of the Year

Mamadou Kane, Sewickley Academy

6-8, sophomore, forward

15.9 ppg last season

Players to watch

Kymon’e Brown, Jeannette

6-0, senior guard

12.5 ppg last season

Markus McGowan, Jeannette

6-3, junior, forward

15.9 ppg last season

Tiernan McCullough, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

6-4, junior, guard

15.0 ppg last season

Jake Johnson, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

6-3, senior, forward

15.8 ppg last season

David Kwiat, Neshannock

6-3, senior, guard

18.0 ppg last season

Preseason Top 5

1. Sewickley Academy (24-6 last season)

Change was a major theme surrounding the Sewickley Academy boys basketball program with first-year coach Mike Iuzzolino. Sewickley Academy won the Section 2 title, lost to Jeannette in the WPIAL semis then fell in a heartbreaker by one point to Linville Hill in the state title game. Back this season for the Panthers are 6-foot-4 senior Lucas Grimsley, 6-8 junior Adam Ikamba and 6-8 sophomore Mamadou Kane.

2. Jeannette (25-3)

The Jayhawks captured the school’s second boys basketball championship last season and first since 2008. With five starters returning for coach Adrian Batts, the chances of a Class 2A repeat seem realistic. Seniors Kymon’e Brown, Xavier Odorisio-Farrow and Noah Sunder and juniors Markus McGowan and Jayce Powell are back for the Jayhawks.

3. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (21-8)

It wasn’t that long ago the Chargers were a dominant force in Class 2A boys hoops, winning four consecutive WPIAL championships from 2019-22 and back-to-back state crowns in 2021 and 2022. Coach Mike Rodqiguez hopes to have OLSH back in the winner’s circle this season as the Chargers return seniors Jake Johnson (15.8 ppg) and Tiernan McCullough (15 ppg).

4. Neshannock (22-5)

The Lancers won the Section 4-2A championship a year ago and outlasted Northgate in a four-

overtime marathon in the district quarterfinals, only to fall to rival Union in the WPIAL semifinals. One of the top players of the 2024-25 campaign is back in 6-4 senior forward David Kwiat, who averaged 18 points last season.

5. Clairton (9-11)

The Bears were a young team a year ago with only three seniors on the roster. Clairton finished in third place in Section 1-2A and lost in the first round of the playoffs to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Leading the way is senior guard Taris Wooding, who was a first-team all-section player from last season when he averaged 16 points.

Notables

• Double gold has become a thing in Class 2A boys hoops, so the pressure is on Jeannette to repeat. Since the start of the century, there have only been four teams that did not win at least two 2A titles in a row.

• Section winners in 2A last season were Greensburg Central Catholic in Section 1, Sewickley Academy in Section 2, Chartiers-Houston in Section 3 and Neshannock in Section 4.

• 75 years ago, Avalon (now Northgate) won the 1951 Class 2A crown, the first of back-to-back titles.

• 50 years ago, Midland won the 2A championship in 1976, the sixth of their seven-year championship run from 1971-76.

• 25 years ago, Sto-Rox took home 2A gold in the first of its back-to-back titles.

• 10 years ago, it was Aliquippa repeating in the final championship before expansion to six classes.

• The playoff format in Class 2A is a little different than some of the other classes. Because Sections 1, 3 and 4 have eight teams, the top five finishers will qualify for the playoffs. In Section 2, with seven teams, only the top four earn postseason berths.

Alignment

Section 1: Bentworth, California, Clairton, Frazier, Greensburg Central Catholic, Jeannette, Riverview, Springdale

Section 2: Brentwood, Eden Christian Academy, Leechburg, Northgate, Propel Braddock Hills, Sewickley Academy, Winchester Thurston

Section 3: Beth-Center, Burgettstown, Carmichaels, Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Jefferson-Morgan, Mapletown, West Greene

Section 4: Laurel, Neshannock, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Rochester, Shenango, South Side, Union, Western Beaver

Tags: Bentworth, Beth-Center, Brentwood, Burgettstown, California, Carmichaels, Chartiers-Houston, Clairton, Eden Christian, Fort Cherry, Frazier, Greensburg C.C., Jeannette, Jefferson-Morgan, Laurel, Leechburg, Mapletown, Neshannock, Northgate, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Propel Braddock Hills, Riverview, Rochester, Sewickley Academy, Shenango, South Side, Springdale, Union, West Greene, Western Beaver, Winchester Thurston