OLSH’s rally falls short as Constitution wins PIAA Class 2A boys basketball title
By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, March 27, 2018 | 4:18 PM
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Dante Spadafora drives past Constitution's Damon Wall during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Alex Boyden fouls Constitution's Jabari Merritt during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Ricco Tate (1) and Alex Boyden walk from the court, as Constitution celebrates their 81-71 victory in the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Austin Wigley wipes away tears after an 81-71 loss to Constitution in the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Daren DiMichele, Donovan Joshnson and Ricco tate hold the PIAA runner-up trophy after the Class 2A boys state championship game against Constitution Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH head coach Mike Rodriguez argues a call with an official during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game against Constitution Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Constitution's Jabari Merritt blocks a shot by OLSH's Austin Wigley next to Damon Wall during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Constitution's Jabari Merritt defends against OLSH's Ricco Tate during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Ricco Tate (1) and Alex Boyden walk from the court, as Constitution celebrates their 81-71 victory in the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Ricco Tate is introduced before the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game against Constitution Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Constitution's Abdul Riggins strips the ball from OLSH's Michael Dugan during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Constitution's Jabari Merritt blocks a shot by OLSH's Michael Dugan during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
OLSH's Dante Spadafora drives past Constitution's Damon Wall during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Alex Boyden fouls Constitution's Jabari Merritt during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Ricco Tate (1) and Alex Boyden walk from the court, as Constitution celebrates their 81-71 victory in the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Austin Wigley wipes away tears after an 81-71 loss to Constitution in the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Daren DiMichele, Donovan Joshnson and Ricco tate hold the PIAA runner-up trophy after the Class 2A boys state championship game against Constitution Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH head coach Mike Rodriguez argues a call with an official during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game against Constitution Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Constitution's Jabari Merritt blocks a shot by OLSH's Austin Wigley next to Damon Wall during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Constitution's Jabari Merritt defends against OLSH's Ricco Tate during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Ricco Tate (1) and Alex Boyden walk from the court, as Constitution celebrates their 81-71 victory in the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
OLSH's Ricco Tate is introduced before the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game against Constitution Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Constitution's Abdul Riggins strips the ball from OLSH's Michael Dugan during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Constitution's Jabari Merritt blocks a shot by OLSH's Michael Dugan during the PIAA Class 2A boys state championship game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Giant Center in Hershey.
HERSHEY — As Dante Spadafora was about to leave Hershey with his Our Lady of the Sacred Heart teammates, the freshman point guard made a prediction.
“We're going to be back next year,” he said after Tuesday's 81-71 loss to Constitution in the PIAA Class 2A final. “We're not losing one senior. We're going to be back.”
There are teams in Western Pennsylvania that will try to prevent a return trip, of course, but standing outside a Giant Center locker room, that didn't matter. OLSH had never reached the state finals before, and its players left Tuesday confident that they belonged here.
“At the end of the day, when I look back and I reflect on this game, I can say we played hard,” OLSH coach Mike Rodriguez said. “I'm so proud of that.”
Junior Austin Wigley scored 25 points, junior Nicco Tate had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Spadafora added 13 points as OLSH (26-4) kept cutting into Constitution's second-half lead. A 17-point third-quarter deficit was down to four in the closing minutes of the fourth, before Constitution pulled away one last time.
The PIAA title was the fourth for District 12 champion Constitution (21-11), which was the state runner-up to Sewickley Academy last season. Keshaun Hammonds scored 23 points, Jabari Merritt had 18, Damon Hall had 17 and Jahmir Marable-Williams added 11. Merritt also had 12 rebounds.
“I'm glad we made it this far,” Wigley said, “but it's not a success unless we win the championship. We can learn from our mistakes and next year get back and get the job done.”
Turnovers and a lack of depth were their problems.
OLSH had 22 turnovers, and Constitution converted the miscues into 30 points. Constitution pressured nonstop and eventually wore down OLSH, which played without injured leading scorer Donovan Johnson.
“That was the plan,” Constitution coach Rob Moore said, “especially with Johnson being out.”
Tied at 22 early in the second quarter, Constitution forced four OLSH turnovers and sparked a 15-3 run to take a lead it never lost.
OLSH didn't fade.
A layup by Tate had OLSH trailing 67-63 with 2:58 left, but Constitution scored seven of the next 10 points to end any threat.
