WPIAL Class 2A Boys Basketball Championship

No. 2 Sewickley Academy (24-1) vs. No. 1 Jeannette (22-1) – Friday 5 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center

Pregame at 4:50 p.m. on WSN Audio - LISTEN LIVE

WSN Broadcasters: Sean Meyers and Anthony DeNunzio

About the Panthers: After falling in the WPIAL semifinals and the PIAA championship game last year, Sewickley Academy has been a dominant force all season. The Panthers won their first 21 games of the season before falling to New Jersey powerhouse Roselle Catholic in overtime to conclude the regular season. Sewickley Academy has bounced back with three lopsided wins in the playoffs, as the Panthers destroyed No. 18 Greensburg Central Catholic 77-17, No. 10 Winchester Thurston 61-33, and third-seeded Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 56-30. The Panthers boast incredible size, with the 6-foot-8 duo of sophomore Mamadou Kane and junior Adam Ikamba leading the way. Kane, who averaged nearly 16 points per game as a freshman, notched a dozen in the semifinals win against the Chargers. Lucas Grimsley, a 6-foot-4 senior, has surpassed 1,000 points in his career, while senior Caidan Battles and sophomore Drew Steals, who matched Kane’s output against OLSH, are other significant contributors. The Panthers average 69.8 points per game, while allowing just 29.8 on average, the best mark in the WPIAL. Mike Iuzzolino, a former NBA player with more than 15 years experience coaching at the college level, is in his second season at the helm of Sewickley Academy. The Panthers have won five WPIAL titles, most recently in 2018.

About the Jayhawks: Jeannette secured WPIAL gold last year, but lost in the PIAA quarterfinals, as the Jayhawks suffered all three of their losses last season to rival Greensburg Central Catholic. No WPIAL team has defeated Jeannette this year, though, as Jeannette’s lone blemish came against Woodford County from Kentucky in the third game of the season. Since then, Jeannette has won 20 in a row, including playoff triumphs against No. 16 Brentwood 70-49, ninth-seeded Eden Christian Academy 52-36, and fifth seed Clairton 44-29. All five starters return from last year’s championship squad. Junior Markus McGowan leads Jeannette with 19.3 points per game, while senior Kymon’e Brown averages 12.5 points, and leads the team in assists and steals. Junior Jayce Powell also averages in double figures at 10.3 points, while senior forwards Xavier Odorisio-Farrow and Noah Sunder provide an interior presence. Brown netted a game-high 15 points in the semifinals win against the Bears, while Powell added 11 points. Jeannette has averaged 65.3 points per game, while allowing an average of only 39.2 points. Adiran Batts, who surpassed 300 career victories earlier this season, is in his 17th season at the helm of Jeannette. Jeannette’s title last year was the second in program history, with the previous championship coming in 2008.

About the Matchup: Jeannette has eliminated Sewickley Academy from the WPIAL playoffs each of the past two seasons, prevailing 45-25 in the semifinals last year, and 52-47 in the opening round in 2024.