Mars senior Mihali Sfanos recently signed to play basketball at Point Park University.

ADAMS TWP — Point Park University's basketball program has a reserve team to go along with its primary squad.

The reserve team — an 18-member squad of freshmen and sophomores — plays its own schedule. Pioneer recruit and Mars senior Mihali Sfanos likely won't be concerned with that.

He hopes to go straight to the head of the class.

“I'm figuring Mihali is going to get minutes with our main team right away,” said Point Park coach Joe Lewandowski, a Butler resident and former Golden Tornado boys basketball coach. “We are thrilled to be getting him.

“We don't just recruit good basketball players. We want high-character guys. Mihali checks both of those boxes.”

Sfanos averaged 17.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game for the Planets this season. He sank 49 treys and was named MVP of a team that reached the WPIAL 5A championship game.

He plans to major in economics. Sfanos also considered Chatham, Saint Vincent, Allegheny and Washington & Jefferson before deciding to join Point Park, an NAIA school that plays in the River States Conference.

“Point Park plays a fast-paced brand of basketball and that's the way I like to play,” Sfanos said. “They get it and go.

“They have a lot of talent coming back. I think we'll have a chance to win the conference and get into the (NAIA) tournament. The goal is to win a national championship.”

The Pioneers are coming off an 8-9 season that ended with a 74-61 loss to Rio Grande (Ohio) in the RSC semifinals. That was the deepest the program advanced in the postseason in five years.

Lewandowski will enter his fourth year as Point Park head coach next season. Sfanos played for his PK Flash AAU team last season.

“We got to know each other and we've talked quite a bit,” Sfanos said. “I think I'll be playing more point guard there than I did in high scghool.”

Lewandowski agreed with that synopsis.

“He's got a high basketball IQ and handles the ball well,” Lewandowski said. “We also need a shooter and he can fill that bill. I'm sure he'll be playing both (shooting guard as well).”

Mars coach Rob Carmody is confident Sfanos will have a successful hoop career with the Pioneers.

“He got better every year he was here,” Carmody said. “He came in as a sophomore and found ways to contribute to a 28-1 team that won the WPIAL championship.

“This year, he did so many things for us. He can drive to the hoop. He has a good mid-range jumper and he shot 44 percent from 3-point range. Mihali is a complete offensive player.

“He'll have to get a little stronger to defend at the next level. Decision-making will be important, too. Mistakes you get away with in high school basketball, you won't get away with in college ball,” Carmody added.

Sfanos stands 6-foot and weighs 180 pounds. He plans on getting physically stronger.

“I'll be up against guys taller and bigger than me,” he said. “I have to get stronger to handle them and I know I'll have to be stronger with the ball.”