Sewickley Academy’s girls basketball team experienced a turnaround season within 2025-26, thanks to a strong case of player perseverance.
The Panthers started out 1-3 and 2-6 as the players adapted to Rob Shazer’s coaching style in his first year as head coach.
Sewickley then rang up a seven-game winning streak and won four of five down the season’s home stretch to clinch a WPIAL Class A playoff berth.
After the slow start, the Panthers won 14 of 18 games which included three victories in four district playoff games.
No. 7-seed Sewickley defeated No. 10 Monessen, 64-41, No. 6 West Greene, 57-32, No. 5 St. Joseph, 58-48, and gave WPIAL champion and No. 2-seeded Serra Catholic a run for its money before losing 53-49 to go to 16-10 overall.
The Panthers opened play in the PIAA tournament Saturday on the road against Farrell (11-12), which has won back-to-back District 10 titles.
“I’m proud of these girls. They’ve really bought in,” Shazer said. “They work hard and play harder. Our message every day at practice is ‘play hard and have fun. Enjoy the wins, play loose, don’t worry about mistakes.’ And that’s exactly what they do.
“As a coach, I couldn’t be prouder of what they have accomplished this season. Who would have thought 16 wins heading into states? And they’ve earned it.”
The Panthers started their seven-game winning streak Dec. 29-30 with victories against Cambridge Springs and Ringgold in the Bentworth holiday tournament.
“I think that was our turning point,” Shazer said. “I remember our halftime speech in the championship game like it was yesterday. We had a 10-point lead, and I came in and challenged them all about starting to get a winning mentality. I was sick of them being OK.
“Needless to say, they went out and dominated the third quarter which led us on this run.”
It’s been quite the journey. The Panthers have six freshmen on this year’s team with four in the starting lineup.
“I don’t think any team, boys or girls, starts four freshmen,” Shazer said, “and to win three playoff games with them is unbelievable.”
Sewickley’s starters consist of the four freshmen, guards Charlotte Morton and Nina Caputo and forwards Athena Ameredes and Mikeala Mbandi, and junior forward Grace Jardini. The 6-foot Mbandi and 5-5 Ameredes lead the team in scoring.
“Mikaela and Athena are unbelievable,” Shazer said. “They never stop, never get frazzled. They just play. They are two leaders on the court from their effort alone.
“Athena is a beast. She’s just fun to coach. I watch her on film and I just smile and think to myself, ‘I’m glad she is with us.’”
Mbandi also is the Panthers’ leading rebounder, regularly racking up double figures in the rebound category in her team’s games this season.
“I think our overall performance this season has been really good,” Mbandi said. “I feel like many people didn’t expect us to get this far and still be playing, but we are.
“We’ve definitely improved a lot since the early part of the season. Our performance proved that the work we were putting in helped us, brought us together as a team, and set us up for success later on.”
Junior guard Emma Eannarino was a third-year starter in Sewickley’s backcourt before suffering an ankle injury Feb. 1 in her team’s 59-46 nonsection win against Hopewell.
Caralena Quisenberry and Alana Spencer, both freshman forwards, are key reserves for the Panthers.
Shazer said the improvement displayed by the team from early in the season until now has been like “night and day.”
“I’m so proud of these girls and the way they fight not to lose in games and practices,” he said. “They are such a fun group of girls to be around. They are always having fun. If it’s not making fun of what the coaches are wearing or saying, they are tic-toking.
“They remind me of my old AAU team, the DFS Wildcats, who just played hard and had fun. I really believe that’s why we are where we are right now.”
The Sewickley hoopsters’ brain trust consists of Shazer and his three assistants, John Terlicki, Tim Eckenrode and Gabby Legister.
“We’ve come a really long way and the coaches have been really supportive and understanding throughout it all,” Mbandi said. “Sometimes I feel like they don’t get enough recognition for all of the hard work they put into not only making us better players but also making us better people.
“Additionally, we’re a really young team. We have four freshmen and a junior starting and two freshmen coming off the bench. I think we’ve held our own playing against girls that have had more experience playing varsity basketball than us. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we’ll still play hard and to the best of our ability — whether we’re down 20 or up 20.”