Penn Hills boys basketball coach Chris Giles recently looked at a picture of 6-foot-2 senior guard Amon Hawthorne when he entered as a late substitute during the Indians’ win over DuBois in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A playoffs in 2023.
The difference between now and then, as is common with any young person, is stark. Hawthorne was 8 inches shorter and physically less mature. Hawthorne recently hit the 1,000-point plateau for his career, becoming the first Indians player since 2023 graduate Daemar Kelly to hit the mark.
“Amon and Calix (Clark) have been with me since they were in eighth grade,” Giles said. “I’ve seen them grow as people first and foremost. They physically matured, and they’ve grown mentally. They are men now. They carry themselves like that.”
Penn Hills (19-7) battled through the consolation bracket to reach the PIAA playoffs for the first time since Hawthorne’s freshman season. The Indians lost to Thomas Jefferson in the WPIAL quarterfinals before rallying to beat Ringgold and Gateway.
Hawthorne scored 44 points in the loss to the Jaguars, which was the record for a WPIAL Class 5A playoff game. The total was tied for seventh-most in WPIAL playoff history with Monessen’s Lorenzo Gardner and Chartiers Valley’s T.J. McConnell.
Hawthorne, who averages 19.8 points per game, said he has improved by constantly receiving feedback from his coaches.
“You always have to get better,” Hawthorne said. “You have to trust in the process, and I listen to my coaches. I trust them for my development and what they are telling me to do.”
Hawthorne put in a lot of time improving in the offseason. Last season, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Summer League.
Hawthorne averaged 22 points per game in the summer.
Hawthorne said he has been focused on keeping a calm demeanor on the court.
“Coach Giles tells me, specifically, if your mind is unshakeable, you can’t be broken,” Hawthorne said. “If your mind is weak, your body will crumble.”
Nothing has fallen apart for Hawthorne. He has heated up toward the latter part of the season, regularly scoring more than 20 points per contest.
Hawthorne also is more than comfortable attempting to hammer in dunks throughout the game.
“He’s more confident in himself and his ability to make plays,” Giles said. “He’s more vocal than ever.”
Hawthorne, who has an offer from Division II Point Park, is still seeking to make his college decision. His major goal for the next level is giving his parents peace of mind.
“I’m trying to go to school for free,” Hawthorne said. “I don’t want my mom and dad to pay for anything. My dad has paid for workouts for me now so he won’t have to pay in college. I don’t want there to be a dropoff when I go to college. I don’t want to be mediocre.”