PIAA Class A boys basketball final

Neighborhood Academy vs. Sankofa Freedom

2 p.m. Thursday, Giant Center, Hershey

On the air: PCN; NFHS Network

PIAA titles: Neighborhood Academy 1 (2025); Sankofa Freedom 1 (2019)

Neighborhood Academy (25-3)

Coach: Jordan Marks

Projected starting lineup

No., Name, Ht., Cl., Pos.

2, D’Andre Green, 6-1, so., G/F

4, Dante Wright, 5-11, so., G

10, Derick Hardeman, 6-4, sr., C

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

20, Trey McMurray, 6-3, jr., G

How they got here: WPIAL champion Neighborhood Academy defeated St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy, 50-32; Johnsonburg, 59-45; Conestoga Christian, 81-41; and Elk County Catholic, 46-37.

Notable: This is a rematch of the 2025 PIAA Class A championship game, which Neighborhood Academy won 60-51. … Kedron Gilmore had 15 points, Trey McMurray scored 11, and D’Andre Green had 10 for TNA in its semifinal win over Elk County Catholic. … Gilmore was among the top scorers in the WPIAL during the regular season at 24.4 ppg and surpassed 1,000 career points. … The Bulldogs allow just 37.8 points per game. … WPIAL teams have won the past four PIAA Class A boys titles (Bishop Canevin 2022, Imani Christian 2023, ‘24, and Neighborhood Academy 2025). … 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. … Coach Jordan Marks, who previously coached at Sto-Rox and Winchester Thurston, has a record of 105-25 in five seasons at TNA.

Sankofa Freedom (22-8)

Coach: Isaiah Thomas

Projected starting lineup

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

0, Nafis Dubose, 6-3, sr., G/F

1, Nasir Brown, 5-10, sr., PG

10, Jameel Brown, 5-9, sr., G

14, Yasir Johnson, 6-0, sr., G

30, Sammad Geary-West, 6-4, jr., F

How they got here: District 12 champion Sankofa Freedom beat Dayspring Christian, 57-43; Bethlehem Christian, 82-74 (OT); York Country Day, 78-71; and High Point Baptist, 70-49.

Notable: Sankofa Freedom is in the PIAA championship game for the third time in program history. It won the 2019 title over Vincentian Academy and was a runner-up to Neighborhood Academy last season. … The Philadelphia Public League champion is led by junior forward Sammad Geary-West, who averages nearly a double-double. He had 24 points and 12 rebounds in the semifinals. … Senior swing guard Nafis Dubose averages 16.4 ppg, and senior Nasir Brown had 17 in the semis. … Sankofa Freedom has won six of its past seven games. .. The Warriors average 71.7 ppg while allowing 59.2. … The academy is a charter school in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood. … Coach Isaiah Thomas is in his 17th year with the Warriors.