The Pittsburgh Basketball Club is proud to announce the formation of the Richard Cetrone Coach of the Year Award for Western PA’s top regular season coach.
The award is named after legendary Sto-Rox Basketball Coach Dick Cetrone, who was the founding father of the Sto-Rox Basketball dynasty, winning 1 State championship, 5 WPIAL Championships as well as 10 Section Titles.
Considered by many to be one of Stowe Township’s best players, Coach Cetrone was the 1st basketball player from this basketball tradition rich area to earn a Division I scholarship, attending the University of Cincinnati where he was a team mate of basketball legend Oscar Robertson.
In Coach Cetrone’s star-studded coaching career career, his 1983 32-0 State Championship team was Pennsylvania’s last undefeated state champion until New Castle went undefeated in the 2013-14 season. (30 years)
Coach remains active in our area basketball as an evaluator for our All America Showcase Camps, where his astute eye for talent is utilized to determine our area’s nominations for various All Star games and national basketball camps.
The Pittsburgh Basketball Club is honored to name our coach of the year award for this outstanding Coach and person. Each year, we will have a list of 4-6 nominations by vote of area coaches and media for this annual award with the winner being announced in the fall, prior to the tip off of the new season.
CETRONE COACH OF THE YEAR (Founded in 2006)
| YEAR | COACH | SCHOOL |
| 2006 | Joe David | Mt. Lebanon |
| 2007 | Mike Mastrionni | Bethel Park |
| 2008 | Chuck Crummie | Central Catholic |
| 2009 | Joe Lafko | Hampton |
| 2010 | Tim McConnell | Char Valley |
| 2011 | Adam Kaufman | Montour |
| 2012 | Doug Biega | Beaver Falls |
| 2013 | Ralph Blundo | New Castle |
| 2014 | Ralph Blundo | New Castle |
| 2015 | Nick Lackovich | Aliquippa |
| 2016 | Buddy Valinsky | Allderdice |
| 2016 | Nick Lackovich | Aliquippa |
| 2017 | Jeff Ackerman | Pine Richland |
| 2018 | Mike Rodriguez | OLSH |
| 2019 | Adam Kaufman | Moon |
| 2019 | Mike Bariski | Lincoln Park |
| 2021 | Mike Rodriguez | OLSH |
| 2021 | Steve Antuono | Ellwood City |
| 2022 | Gino Palmosina | Bishop Canevin |
| 2023 | Chris Giles | Penn Hills |
| 2024 | Dan Holzer | Upper St. Clair |
