From the first practices of the winter to their final game of playoffs, the Latrobe boys basketball team’s season was built on chemistry, hard work, and players stepping into bigger roles. By the end of the year, the Wildcats were playing their best basketball when it mattered most.
The team started the season with a Tipoff tournament, hosting Richland, dominating the court with a final score of 70-31. The team took that momentum into the second day of the Tipoff tournament, where the team hosted Indiana, pulling out a 71-57 win.
On December 4, 2025, the team traveled to the rival Hempfield Area High School to take on the Spartans for a non-section matchup. Although it was a non-section game, the team felt pressure going in. Knowing they would be up against former Latrobe player, Austin Butler, as he stepped into a new role as head coach for the Spartans this season.
Latrobe led 15-6 after the first quarter and 18-6 early in the second. Junior Dom Scarton and Sophomore Mikey Monios made back-to-back 3s to give Latrobe a 31-22 advantage, to then lead 31-25 at the half.
Despite the close first half, the Wildcats couldn’t keep the lead that night and took a tough loss to the Spartans 59-61. Tatsch hit three 3-pointers and led the Wildcats with 13, Butina had 12 and Scarton nine.
The following two games resulted in two close losses for the Cats. The team battled Mars but lost 59-63 and 50-63 to Gateway. Still early in the season, the team used these games to make lineup changes and bond. “I thought at the beginning of the year we struggled, but we started to mesh more and more as a team,” said Senior Ian DeCerb.
While the Wildcats had returning faces in the starting lineup, they also had big holes to fill in the lineup after losing three starters last season. Returning varsity players included Seniors Ian DeCerb, Sawyer Butina, and Andy Tatsch, Junior Dom Scarton, and Sophomore Mikey Monios.
The team had two key players join the starting lineup this season. 6-foot-7 Senior, Robert Young, and Junior Alex Amond. “Going into the year, we weren’t sure about who could come off the bench and really give us good minutes, but he [Alex Amond] showed us really good minutes in some games and eventually earned himself a starting spot,” said DeCerb.
New to Latrobe’s team this year was senior Robert Young. Young had only 1 year of prior basketball experience before playing for the Wildcats this season, having played at a 1A school and now competing in 5A. “The first couple of times we saw Rob, we didn’t know if he was going to be impactful for us. But each day you could see he was improving, and he was enjoying the game more. He really was a key player for us and helped us to a bunch of wins,” said DeCerb.
With the addition of Young on the team this season, Latrobe had one of their tallest lineups. “This year’s team was definitely special because we had so much more size on the roster than we have ever had before,” said Junior Dom Scarton.
After showing early promise, the Wildcats hit a difficult stretch in the middle of the season, dropping several close games in section play. Losses to Mars, Gateway, Penn Trafford, and Knoch tested the team, which focused on improving each game.
As the season went on, the team grew closer, something players said made a big difference on the court. “What made this team special was how close everybody was as a team,” said Junior Alex Amond.
Late in the season, the Wildcats found their rhythm at the right time, winning their final three section games to earn a playoff spot. “We needed to win out the last three games to even have a chance to make a playoff spot, so every week our backs were against the wall, and every game was a must-win; it made us try harder and focus more during practice,” said Scarton.
On February 9, 2026, the Wildcats found out that they would be playing their first home playoff game in 20 years against the Mars Planets. “We were all super excited and hype for the opportunity to have a home playoff game,” said DeCerb.
February 12, 2026, the Cats took the court in front of their biggest home crowd of the season. Latrobe fed off the energy from its fans and held back Mars, 57-46, in a WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball preliminary-round game. “I knew we were gonna have a big crowd, but I wasn’t expecting a den like that, and it was really special to be able to win that game,” said DeCerb.
With the win, the Wildcats advanced to the first round of the WPIAL playoffs and took on the Thomas Jefferson Jaguars. The Wildcats came out strong, but couldn’t hold the lead and lost to the Jaguars 79-86. “Even though we lost, we showed everyone that we can compete. It doesn’t matter if we’re a low seed or a high seed,” said DeCerb.
The loss may have ended Latrobe’s season, but it didn’t define it. From early struggles to a late-season push into the playoffs, the Wildcats proved their resilience and growth, finishing the year as a team that refused to back down and continued to compete until the final buzzer.
“I hope everyone remembers the grittiness that we had. We wouldn’t give up, we fought to the end, no matter what the score was,” said junior Alex Amond.
