2026 PIAA Class 4A boys basketball championship breakdown: Obama Academy vs. Devon Prep

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | 4:47 PM

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PIAA Class 4A boys basketball final

Obama Academy vs. Devon Prep

8 p.m. Thursday, Giant Center, Hershey

On the air: PCN; NFHS Network

PIAA titles: Obama Academy 0; Devon Prep 3 (2022, ‘24, ‘25)

Obama Academy (20-9)

Coach: Naron Jackson

Projected starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Yr., Pos.

2, Elijah Rawlings, 6-2, sr., G

4, Naron Jackson II, 6-1, sr., PG

11, Zion Conner, 6-6, sr., F

13, Sheikh Long, 6-4, jr., F

34, Eric James, 6-3, sr., G

How they got here: City League champion Obama Academy defeated Warren, 55-50; Cathedral Prep, 70-69; Deer Lakes, 53-41; and Carver Engineering & Science, 52-51.

Notable: Obama Academy is the first City League team to reach the state finals since Allderdice lost in the Class 4A championship game against Roman Catholic in 2016. … The Eagles got 23 points and the winning basket from Eric James in a 52-51 semifinal win over Carver Engineering & Science on Tuesday. The game was postponed a day because of winter weather, leaving a quick turnaround for the Eagles’ trip to Hershey. … James has scored 82 points in the PIAA tournament. … Obama Academy averaged 58.0 ppg game this season while allowing just 44.5. … After finishing second in the City League in the regular season, the Eagles went on a roll with seven straight postseason wins. They have won nine consecutive games overall, including a 64-58 overtime win over rival Allderdice in the City League championship game Feb. 15. … Obama has never played in a PIAA championship game. In fact, before this season, the Eagles qualified for the PIAA playoffs five times and had a combined record of 2-5, reaching as far as the PIAA second round once in 2020 after beating Penn Hills in the first round. … A Pittsburgh City League team has not won a PIAA title since now-closed Schenley in 2007.

Devon Prep (9-18)

Coach: Jason Fisher

Projected starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Yr., Pos.

5, Owen Raymond, 6-4, sr., G/F

10, Jaden Craft, 6-3, jr., PG

13, Cooper Fairlamb, 6-4, jr., G/F

21, John Doogan, 6-4, jr., G

33, Braeden Fisher, 6-4, sr., F

How they got here: District 12 fourth-place finisher Devon Prep beat Allentown Central Catholic, 68-47; Valley View, 61-41; Scranton Prep, 62-55; and Lewisburg, 73-49.

Notable: Devon Prep has won three PIAA titles in the past four seasons — the Class 3A championships in 2022 and ‘24 and the Class 4A title last winter. It beat Aliquippa, 76-58, for the 2022 championship. … The Tide finished fourth in District 12 this season to earn a PIAA tournament berth. … In the PIAA semifinals, the Philadelphia Catholic League power was led by guards John Doogan with 29 points and Jaden Craft with 24. Doogan hit his first 10 shots of the game en route to a career-high output. … It was the Tide’s 14th straight PIAA playoff win. … Devon Prep started the season 2-14 while playing a challenging schedule and was just 5-18 at the start of the PIAA tournament.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

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