San Gabriel Academy boys basketball hangs on to win first CIF State championship

Oumar Dabo #40 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles celebrates with teammates in the tunnel after defeating the King’s Academy Knights 52-51 to win a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

SACRAMENTO – The San Gabriel Academy boys basketball team had a 13-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.

At the end of the game, its lead was down to one point.

That was enough for the Eagles to survive a chaotic ending, as they held on — barely — to beat King’s Academy 52-51 in the CIF State Division III championship game Friday at Golden 1 Center.

Oumar Dabo #40 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles reacts as the San Gabriel Academy Eagles defeated the King’s Academy Knights 52-51 to win a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Mohamed Toure #00 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles reacts as the San Gabriel Academy Eagles defeated the King’s Academy Knights 52-51 to win a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Head coach Daniel Piepoli of San Gabriel Academy Eagles hoists the championship trophy as Mahamadou Diop #34 and teammate Oumar Dabo #40 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles celebrate after defeating the King’s Academy Knights 52-51 to win a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Mahamadou Diop #34 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles slam dunks against the King’s Academy Knights in the second half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Xavier Barnett #4 of King’s Academy Knights reaches for the loose ball against Xavier Wang #23 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles in the second half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Mohamed Toure #00 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles reaches for the rebound in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game against the King’s Academy Knights at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)

Mohamed Toure #00 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles looks to shoot the ball in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game against the King’s Academy Knights at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)

Mahamadou Diop #34 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles slam dunks in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game against the King’s Academy Knights at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)

Xavier Barnett #4 of King’s Academy Knights is fouled by Xavier Wang #23 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles in the second half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Mahamadou Diop #34 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles reacts late in the second half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game against King’s Academy Knights at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Mohamed Toure #00 hugs teammate Mahamadou Diop of San Gabriel Academy Eagles after defeating the King’s Academy Knights 52-51 to win a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Head coach Daniel Piepoli of San Gabriel Academy Eagles kisses the championship trophy after defeating the King’s Academy Knights 52-51 to win a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Xavier Wang #23 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles reacts after a foul in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game against King’s Academy Knights at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Mamadou Traore #5 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles is fouled by Xavier Barnett #4 of King’s Academy Knights in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)

Karan Kolappa #2 of King’s Academy Knights drives to the basket against San Gabriel Academy Eagles in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Mahamadou Diop #34 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles reaches for the loose ball against King’s Academy Knights in the second half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Head coach Daniel Piepoli of San Gabriel Academy Eagles reacts against King’s Academy Knights in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Xavier Wang #23 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles looses the ball late in the second half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game against the the King’s Academy Knights at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Xavier Barnett #4 of King’s Academy Knights tips the ball out of the hands of Mahamadou Diop #34 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)

Mahamadou Diop #34 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles blocks the shot by Karan Kolappa #2 of King’s Academy Knights in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Boss Mhoon #24 of King’s Academy Knights scramble for the loose ball against Mamadou Traore #5 and teammate Marquise Humphreys #2 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles in the second half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Nathan Hong #25 of King’s Academy Knights fouls Mohamed Toure #00 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)

Mahamadou Diop #34 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles drives to the basket in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game against the King’s Academy Knights at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)

Mohamed Toure #00 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles rebound over Karan Kolappa #2 of King’s Academy Knights in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Mahamadou Diop #34 and Marquise Humphreys #2 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles blocks the shot by Karan Kolappa #2 of King’s Academy Knights in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Mahamadou Diop #34 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles hoists the champion ship trophy with his teammates after defeating the King’s Academy Knights 52-51 to win a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Caedmon Dickson #23 of King’s Academy Knights reacts after a three point basket against San Gabriel Academy Eagles in the second half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

A fan reacts in the second half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game between the San Gabriel Academy Eagles and the King’s Academy Knights at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Xavier Wang #23 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles reaches for the loose ball against Xavier Barnett #4 of King’s Academy Knights as teammate Sean Palmer #11 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles looks on in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Mohamed Toure #00 of San Gabriel Academy Eagles blocks the shot by Boss Mhoon #24 of King’s Academy Knights in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

Official in the first half of a boys CIF State Division III championship basketball game between the San Gabriel Academy Eagles and the King’s Academy Knights at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 14, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

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Although they were outscored 16-2 during a stretch late in the final quarter, the Eagles won their first CIF State boys basketball championship and finished the season 21-13.

King’s Academy, a private school in Sunnyvale, finished 27-5.

San Gabriel Academy 6-11 sophomore Mahamadou Diop scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked seven shots. He was 10 of 16 from the floor including a few entertaining dunks.

Diop, who has offers from Texas Tech and UC Riverside, was the only Eagles player to score in double figures. Senior guard Coco Britt scored eight points. Sophomore guard Xavier Wang scored seven points including two free throws with 11 seconds left to give the Eagles a three-point lead, 52-49.

The Eagles defense was good for most of the game, holding King’s Academy to 31 percent shooting.

Back-to-back baskets by Diop gave San Gabriel Academy a 48-36 lead. That’s when the unraveling began for the Eagles. The King’s Academy press began creating turnovers that led to baskets for the Knights, and San Gabriel Academy committed several costly fouls.

King’s Academy junior guard Claxton Ladine made a 3-pointer with 20 seconds to go to cut the San Gabriel Academy lead to 50-49.

Wang made his two free throws to make it 52-49 and the Knights’ Karan Kolappa put in a layup at the buzzer for the final one-point margin.

“Lost some years off my life there,” said San Gabriel Academy coach Daniel Piepoli.

Piepolio regretted calling the team’s final timeout late in the contest when Wang dove on a loose ball. The officials signaled the timeout just before a jump ball would have been called.

“I went to the scorer’s table and said I hope that doesn’t come back to bite me,” he said. “And it definitely did. We didn’t have a timeout to stop them, try to draw something up.”

The game appeared to be headed for a one-sided result early when San Gabriel Academy built a 17-point lead in the second quarter. King’s Academy got hot in the third quarter and reduced the lead to four points in the quarter.

King’s Academy pulled with four points again in the fourth quarter before San Gabriel Academy did a better job of taking care of the basketball and resumed using its height advantage to regain control.

The teams traded the lead for most of the first quarter. San Gabriel Academy took the lead for good, 12-10, on one of Diop’s many dunks, the final points of the opening quarter.

Diop’s two-handed slam started a 14-1 run for the Eagles that moved them to a 24-11 lead midway through the second quarter.

The Eagles’ lead reached 17 points, 31-14, at one point and was 31-18 at halftime.

The teams combined for 46 turnovers, 25 by San Gabriel Academy.

The Eagles qualified for the CIF state playoffs by reaching the CIF-SS semifinals, in which they lost to Sage Hill. San Gabriel Academy defeated Maranatha in the CIF SoCal Regional Division III championship game Tuesday to get to the state championship game.

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on March 15, 2025

San Gabriel Academy boys basketball hangs on to win first CIF State championship

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