2025 PIAA Class A boys basketball championship breakdown: Neighborhood Academy vs. Sankofa Freedom

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | 11:22 PM

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PIAA Class A boys basketball final

​Neighborhood Academy vs. Sankofa Freedom Academy

2 p.m. Thursday, Giant Center, Hershey

On the air: NFHS Network livestream

PIAA titles: Neighborhood Academy 0; Sankofa Freedom Academy 1 (2019)

Neighborhood Academy (28-1)

Coach: Jordan Marks

Projected starting lineup

Pos., Name, Ht., Yr., Pos.

0, Courtney Wallace, 6-3, sr., G

1, Shamar Simpson, 6-1, sr., G

4, Syncer Nicholson, 5-11, sr., G

10, Derrick Hardenman, 6-4, jr., C

11, Kedron Gilmore, 5-9, so., G

How they got here: Neighborhood Academy defeated Shanksville-Shade, 95-32, in the first round; Elk County Catholic, 63-44, in the second round; LaAcademia Charter, 64-44, in the quarterfinals; and Otto-Eldred, 55-38, in the semifinals.

Notable: Neighborhood Academy won its first WPIAL title this winter and makes its first appearance in the state finals. … The Bulldogs had the WPIAL’s fourth highest-scoring offense this season (71.3 ppg). Four scorers averaged in double figures: Wallace (22.7), Gilmore (14), Nicholson (13.3) and Simpson (10.3). … Wallace is a Yale recruit who averaged a triple-double with 13 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game. … The team’s defense allows 40.6 ppg. … The Bulldogs have won 19 games in a row since losing to Beaver, 71-70, on Jan. 4. … A private school in Pittsburgh’s Stanton Heights neighborhood, Neighborhood Academy joined WPIAL basketball in the 2020-21 season. The school was founded in 2001. … Marks’ record is 79-22 in four seasons as the team’s coach. He previously coached at Sto-Rox and Winchester Thurston and held positions on the men’s basketball staffs at Robert Morris and Pitt. … WPIAL teams have won the past three PIAA Class A boys titles (Bishop Canevin 2022 and Imani Christian 2023, ‘24). … Defending champion Imani Christian voluntarily moved to Class 6A this season.

Sankofa Freedom Academy (19-11)

Coach: Isaiah Thomas

Projected starting lineup

Pos., Name, Ht., Yr., Pos.

1, Asim Hardy, 5-10, sr., G

13, Terrance Fortson, 6-4, so., F

14, Nasir Brown, 5-10, jr., G

22, Nafis Dubose, 6-2, jr., G/F

20, Sammad West, 6-4, so., F

How they got here: Sankofa Freedom Academy defeated York Country Day, 67-36, in the first round; Bethlehem Christian, 75-66, in the second round; Chester Charter, 67-56, in the quarterfinals; and Lancaster Country Day, 63-41, in the semifinals.

Notable: Notable: Sankofa Freedom Academy is a member of the Philadelphia Public League and qualified for states as the top seed from District 12. … The Warriors will make their second appearance in the state finals. The team won the 2019 Class A title over Vincentian Academy. … Dubose averages a team-best 16 points, followed by Hardy (8.8 ppg), West (7.4), Fortson (6.1) and Brown (6.6). … The team’s top rebounders are West (6.3 rpg) and Fortson (5.4). … The academy is a charter school in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Neighborhood Academy