Brett Sickafoose, right, is a Whitko High School alumnus and is starting at Grace College his senior season. Photo provided by Grace College Athletics.

By Nathan Pace
InkFreeNews

When Brett Sickafoose played for the Whitko Wildcats, he was the star of the show as the top-scoring option. Going up a level at Grace College has caused Sickafoose to refine his game.

“In high school, I was probably more of a creator, a playmaker for our team,” Sickafoose said. “That was my role. I had to create my own shots, no one was going to create them for me; had to guard the best player on the opposing team. My first three years here, I had more of a backup role. I had to learn how to play off ball; come off screens and set screens.”

The changed in his style of play was a welcome one as it has led the Lancers to great success on the basketball court. Grace enjoyed a 34-2 season last year, which culminated in a trip to the final four of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Grace began the 2024-25 season at a 13-3 record.

“I would rather be a guy on a winning, high-character team than be the best player on an average team,” Sickafoose said.

Sickafoose has started every game this season. He is having his best production for the Lancers as a result. He has jumped from 5.9 to 11.4 points per game. Sickafoose said he sees himself as leader trying to be a role model for the underclassmen.

“We had a lot of seniors graduate and move on last year. I think we lost four starters. It’s a new team with a lot of opportunity for some of the younger guys,” Sickafoose said.

Basketball was on his mind early in his life growing up with three siblings on the family farm. His brother, Clay, and sisters, Erin and Suzanne, were all competitive. Suzanne ran track and field at Grace.

“My older siblings, all three of them played. It kind of started at the barn on our property. I was 5 years old trying to guard my older brother. I started loving it for myself. I try to make it my own,” Sickafoose said.

Being the youngest, Sickafoose typically lost most of the family basketball battles. Now that he is in college, he is the top dog in family-athletic competition.

“It was humbling growing up playing one-on-one with my older brother because he is seven years older than me. I was always living in their shadows, trying to fight my way to get out of there. Now that I’m bigger and in the swing of things with basketball, he stopped playing me one-on-one. Go figure,” Sickafoose said.

Sickafoose is studying accounting but he is excited about helping with the family farm still with his parents, Jeff and Sherri. He adds he is thankful to his parents for helping him with his basketball career.

His playing days are coming to a close at the end of the season but Sickafoose feels the relationships he built at Grace to be more important.

“My biggest joy from Grace is probably the people I get to be around. Getting to develop a relationship with them. Some of them now are my closest friends. Being able to grow on the basketball court together and spiritually together,” Sickafoose said.“That’s probably my biggest joy.”