Sewickley Academy’s talented senior Lucas Grimsley was an all-state selection following the 2024-25 basketball season.
Other all-staters in boys basketball for the Panthers were Neil Hoy (1998), Corey Diethorn (2004), George Raftis (2005), Tom Droney (2009, 2010), Chris Groetsch (2016, 2017), Justin Pryor (2017), Nate Ridgeway (2017, 2018), Isaiah Smith (2018) and Isiah Warfield (2018, 2019).
Grimsley also was named all-WPIAL and all-section for his 2024-25 performance and was lauded as the team’s offensive player of the year.
This season, Grimsley achieved a career goal by scoring his 1,000th point Feb. 1 in a 56-34 victory against Aliquippa at the Win Palmer Memorial Classic on Win Palmer Court at Means Alumni Gym and Event Center.
He began the 2025-26 season with 834 career points.
“Reaching 1,000 points is an incredible honor,” Grimsley said. “It reflects all the early mornings, late nights, the coaches who believed in me and the teammates who trusted me along the way.
“I’d like to thank my coaches, teammates, family and the Sewickley Academy community for their constant support. None of this happened alone, and I’m grateful for everyone who has helped shape my journey.”
Sewickley coach Mike Iuzzolino has been impressed by the effort displayed by Grimsley the past two seasons.
“Lucas has done an outstanding job improving in his overall role,” Iuzzolino said. “I believe he has gone from a shooter/scorer to a really solid overall basketball player. He has taken care of the ball with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio and has had a major impact rebounding the basketball.
“Not only that, but he is an excellent student in the classroom and has grown in his leadership role.”
Grimsley achieved his career milestone in the third quarter against Aliquippa on an “and-one” play.
“It was a really special feeling, especially being able to reach the milestone at home on the day of the Win Palmer Classic,” Grimsley said. “I remember as eighth graders, coach Palmer invited us to some varsity workouts, and I was very nervous about attending. But coach Palmer was really encouraging and made us feel part of the group. I will never forget that.”
The 18-year-old Grimsley is a four-year starter as a guard/forward for the Panthers and serves as treasurer of the Stocks Club, Black Student Union, Latino Culture Club and Men’s Mental Health Club at his school.
“Some of my favorite memories from my high school basketball career aren’t even specific games, but the moments with my teammates,” Grimsley said. “All the practices, bus rides and the relationships we built along the way. Winning big games, playing in front of the Sewickley Academy community and representing the school with my teammates are moments I’ll always remember.
“I took to basketball at age 6 and have never really let it go. My parents say I was shooting baskets at 8 months when I started walking. I’ve played AAU basketball since second grade. Once I got into high school, we knew I would focus solely on basketball.”
Iuzzolino is in his second season of coaching the Panthers and he is grateful to have had Grimsley around as a team leader both seasons.
“Lucas is a very good 3-point shooter but also has the ability to attack and finish at the rim,” Iuzzolino said. “Lucas has the ability to get hot quickly. When he is making 3s, he becomes difficult to guard, and so do we because it opens up so many other options for us. He has good size. He makes it difficult on the guy he is defending to get off clean looks.”
The college recruiting process began in earnest last year for the sharp-shooting Grimsley, who plans to major in finance.
“I’ve received recruiting interest from schools,” he said, “and I am very appreciative of the coaches and programs who have reached out. It means a lot.
“I like to study and work hard in the classroom, and I enjoy practicing, working hard and competing on the court.”
Grimsley and seniors Amare Spencer, a 6-2 forward, and Caiden Battles, a 5-8 guard, are the foundation on which this year’s talented Sewickley team has been built.
“Lucas along with Amare and Caiden are the cornerstones of this program,” Iuzzolino said. “As seniors, they have been through some earlier tough times and have endure a lot of changes — three coaches and they have put up with me for two years.
“They all have really embraced the change and have found success both on and off the court. I am so proud and humbled to have coached such great young men.”
Grimsley joined an impressive group of players in the 1,000-point club at Sewickley: Tim Appleton (1973), Hoy (1997), Lad Hudak (1978), Stephen Nesmith (1998), Matt Palmer (2006), Droney (2010), Carrington Motley (2012), Pryor (2017), Groetsch (2017), Ridgeway (2018), Warfield (2019) and Nolan Donnelly (2025).
There also have been four girls at Sewickley reach 1,000 career points in basketball: Joann Fabrizio (1997), Tenley Schofield (2000), Tammy Hoch (2003) and Jessica DeFranco (2005).