Sewickley Academy misses last-second shot in 1-point PIAA finals loss to Linville Hill
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Friday, March 28, 2025 | 5:14 PM
Sewickley Academy’s Mamadou Kane shoots over Linville Hill defenders as time expires in the PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’s Mamadou Kane reacts after his shot fell short as time expired in the PIAA Class 2A championship game against Linville Hill on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’s Nolan Donnelly holds the runner-up trophy next to Mamadou Kane after the PIAA Class 2A championship game against LinVille Hill on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’s Mamadou Kane pulls down a rebound in front of Linville Hill’s Stephen Smucker during the PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Linville Hill’s Stephen Smucker scores past Sewickley Academy’s Mamadou Kane in the final seconds of the PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’s Lucas Grimsley battles Linville Hill’s Drew Tibbins for a loose ball during the PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’s Lucas Grimsley drives to the basket against Linville Hill during the PIAA Class 2A championship game Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’s Adam Ikamba dunks against Linville Hill during the PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’s Adam Ikamba dunks against Linville Hill during the PIAA Class 2A championship game Friday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Linville Hill’s Giovanni Sejuste pressures Sewickley Academy’s Mamadou Kane duringcthe PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’s Drew Steals shoots a 3-pointer against Linville Hill during the PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’sCaiden Battles drives betweem Linville Hill defenders during the PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’s Mamadou Kane dunks against Linville Hill during the PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy’s Adam Ikamba dunks against Linville Hill during the PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
Sewickley Academy head coach Mike Iuzzolino watches from the bench during the PIAA Class 2A championship game against Linville Hill on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
The Sewickley Academy student section cheers on the Panthers during the PIAA Class 2A championship game on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Giant Center in Hershey.
HERSHEY – Two seconds were almost enough.
With that little bit of time left, Sewickley Academy got a short jumper in the paint by Mamadou Kane, but it bounced away at the buzzer Friday leaving the Panthers one shot short in a 55-54 loss to Linville Hill in the PIAA Class 2A final at Giant Center.
After 11 ties and seven lead changes, hopes for an eighth were dashed.
Sewickley Academy had possession with nine seconds left after Linville Hill missed two free throws. The clock dwindled down to two seconds remaining onceLinville Hill strategically fouled twice to run off a little time.
On their final chance, the Panthers lobbed an inbound pass to Kane in the paint, where the 6-foot-8 freshman’s shot missed to the left as time expired.
“I loved the look we got,” first-year Sewickley Academy coach Mike Iuzzolino said. “We couldn’t have gotten any better look. We got Mamadou right at the front of the rim. He didn’t finish great all night, but 1,000% I’ll take that shot 1,000 times over.”
FINAL: Linville Hill 55, Sewickley Academy 54
The Panthers’ last-second shot misses at the buzzer#PIAA 2A boys final pic.twitter.com/mmD3ta5hFH
— Chris Harlan (@CHarlan_Trib) March 28, 2025
A freshman took the team’s biggest shot of the year, but that wasn’t surprising for Sewickley Academy.
The Panthers had a sophomore and three freshmen among their top players in the state finals. One of those underclassmen, freshmen guard Drew Steals, scored a team-high 17 points off the bench.
Sophomore Adam Ikamba had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Kane added 10 points.
Steals’ role increased after junior Caiden Battles suffered a first-quarter injury. Iuzzolino said this was by far Steals’ best game of the season.
“How many freshmen come into a state championship game and do what Drew Steals did today?” Iuzzolino said. “He was amazing. He played like a senior.”
Sewickley Academy (26-3) was trying to win its fourth state title after victories in 1997, 2010 and ‘17. Iuzzolino said for now he was leaving Hershey “disappointed in the loss,” not looking forward at the program’s bright future. But it’s undeniable that the Panthers’ youth make them a title threat beyond this season.
“They’re going to be back here the next three years,” predicted Sewickley Academy senior Nolan Donnelly. “And they’re taking gold next year.”
District 3 runner-up Linville Hill (24-5) was making its first appearance in the state finals. Stephen Smucker scored a game-high 22 points for the Warriors. Giovanni Sejuste added 12 points and Drew Tibbins had 10.
With 6-8 teammates Kane and Ikamba on the court together, Sewickley Academy had a significant advantage over Linville Hill, which started nobody taller than 6-2. But that edge in height ultimately wasn’t enough to overcome an undersized opponent that didn’t seem intimidated.
Linville Hill made sharp cuts into the paint and showed a knack for finishing around the basket.
“I’m going to be honest. I was surprised by their aggression,” Donnelly said. “To come out and step up right in our face and act like they were supposed to be there, I’ll give them credit for that.”
Sewickley Academy held an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter but was outscored 15-6 over the final six minutes. A layup by Kane with 34 seconds left gave the Panthers a 54-53 lead, but Smucker answered with a go-ahead runner for Linville Hill at the 23-second mark.
Kane was called for a carry on Sewickley Academy’s next possession, a turnover that seemed less costly once Linville Hill’s Derian Petersheim missed two foul shots with 10 seconds left. The missed free throws set up Sewickley Academy for the game’s final shot.
“We knew they were going to have to throw a lob,” Linville Hill coach Mike Schatzmann said. “That was the only chance they had. We tried to pack that middle, but let me tell you, it almost worked for them.”
Linville Hill led 13-9 after one quarter and 28-27 at halftime. The teams were tied at 40 after three.
Sewickley Academy scored the last basket of the third quarter and opened the fourth with eight consecutive points. A layup by Donnelly capped the run and gave the Panthers a 48-40 lead with 6:29 left.
Linville Hill answered with an 11-2 run to retake the lead.
“Our team should use this as a learning opportunity,” Steals said. “I’m sad that our senior Nolan didn’t get the win. But we have a lot of younger players on our team.”
Sewickley Academy’s size makes it easy at times to overlook their youthfulness. The team’s 17-player roster included eight freshmen and two sophomores.
“On my nightstand I have a little piece of paper from when I first took this job that says: ‘Don’t forget they’re 14- and 15-year-old kids,’” Iuzzolino said. “I remind myself of that all the time.”
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: Sewickley Academy
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