St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy
Head coach – Donte Archie
Asst. coaches – Stephan Johnson, Jamal Briscoe, Jonathan Chapple
2024-25 file – 18-11, 8-4 (2nd)
2025 CIF Playoffs – DI, L 2nd Rd
“From seven to five teams, it’s going to be a tough league to play in,” Archie stated. “Every game is going to be good. Each game you have to be ready to play.
“What I tried to do in the early days of our practices is to push the kids to get past their limit.”
In an uncommon transfer on the workforce, freshman Darrellreon Morris, higher often called Reece, was named captain in a vote by the gamers.
“It’s tough to get captains these days, it’s just not that era,” Archie stated. “He’s a rare one.”
Archie talked of his three gamers that represented the workforce on the media day, saying “They are a good three (players),” he stated. “They do everything right – Dayvion (Gates), Dominic (Gallardo) and Reece (Darrellreon Morris) – they do a great job exemplifying what we want the program to look like and how we want them to go about their everyday business.”
Archie, who gained his first CIF title for PMA in 2020, stated of his expectations for this season stated, “I’m looking forward to it being a great year,” he added. “Its kind of a different type of team than we usually have. This group is good and they’re coming together, and the practices are good. At the end, you just want to be good.”
A number of of his former gamers have moved on, which embody Tyrone Riley (University of San Francisco), Douglas Langford (San Jose State), Saul Anaya (Santa Barbara City College), Tylon Williams (Riverside City College) and Dayvion Gates (Mt. SAC).
“Tyrone is a guy that you can’t replace, basketball-wise on and off the court, just everything he was a great person,” Archie stated. “From the janitor to a coach to a teacher, to the administration, he was just a wonderful student-athlete.”
Asked who may turn into the chief of the workforce because the season goes on, Archie stated, “One day it could be Kayleb (Kearse), one day it could be Reece, one day it could be Dominic, Dayvion, Pharell (Ukwu), Christian (Clayman), it could be anybody.”
With the media day Archie was very appreciative for the trouble of Covell.
“I think it’s a great event,” he stated. “I think every high school league should do it because we’re supposed to be getting student-athletes ready for the next level.”
The Warriors opened the preseason (Tuesday Nov. 18) with a straightforward 70-45 victory over Jordan. They will journey to Corona Centennial (Friday Nov. 21).
What they stated:
Dayvion Gates – “My brother (Dayvon Gates) really helped me when we first came here and showed me how to work hard.”
On Reece: “He’s very vocal and vocal to all of us. When he first came in, I already knew he was a hard worker.
“My brother really motivated me, by just seeing him going from a D3 (University of Redlands) to a JUCO (Mt. SAC) and him just wanting to work harder. Being around him that just motivated me to work harder.”
Darrellreon ‘Reece’ Morris – “My dad (Darrell) and I are always in the gym. Since I was a little kid, we’ve always been going to tournaments and shooting around. I just got to love the game.
“I think I’m a leader because I talk the most and I help my team. Even though they’re older than me I can still tell them ways to get better, even though I’m just coming in as a freshman.
“I think us winning would really make Donte happy. I think he’s trying to get us to a higher level.”
Dominic Gallardo – “I transferred in last year from Bosco Tech and I got a connection with the seniors last year as a junior.
I really got a lot stronger over the summer, and I’ve been working on my ball handling, instead of being a catch and shoot guy.
I expect us to just go out and just play basketball, have fun with the team. It’s a really fun team to be with.”
Roster:
Seniors – Zaire Bea-mone, Christian Clayman, Kayleb Kearse, Dominic Gallardo, Dayvion Gates
Junior – Anthony Dominguez
Sophomores – Leonardo Rojas, Fox Narvaez, Noah Reed Muhammad
Freshman – Darrellreon (Reece) Morris
St. Anthony
Head coach – Alan Mitchell
2024-25 file – 18-7, 10-2 (1st)
2025 CIF Playoffs – DI, L 1st Rd
2024-25 results vs. PMA – Lost 88-85, W 58-57.
The Saints have been senior heavy final season and have three transfers that got here from public faculties.
“It’s new roads for all of the players and a new system,” Mitchell stated. “We’ve learned from the last couple years to play a more heavy Fall schedule because of the first tournament last year when we played five games in six days to start the season. The ‘playoffs’ start January 2.”
All three of the transfers are juniors for St. Anthony.
“It’s been a challenge for us,” stated Tylan Kinsey, one of many three transfers. Kinsey transferred from Leuzinger.
Roster: Two seniors, 5 juniors, 4 sophomores, two freshmen
St. Paul
Head coach – Patrick Roy
2024-25 file – 19-11, 8-4 (third)
2025 CIF Playoffs – DI, L 2nd Rd
2024-25 results vs. PMA – Lost 68-62, Won 61-45
The Swordsmen completed tied with PMA for second place final season and cut up the 2 video games.
“We have a young group this year,” assistant coach William Bryson stated. “The players know it’s going to be a dog fight every night.
“The league is the toughest in So Cal. League prepares us for the playoffs. The players are good listeners.”
St. Bernard
Head coach – Bernard McCrumby, 2nd Year
2024-25 file – 18-11, 7-5 (4th place)
2025 CIF Playoffs – DI, L 1st Rd
2024-25 file vs. PMA – W 60-54, L 67-60
“We’re excited about what we’re building here at St. Bernards,” McCrumby stated. “We’ll be better later. We’re going to become the jewel of the South Bay. (The transfers) have seen our culture here at St. Bernards.”
Roster: Five seniors, six juniors, one freshman (4 returners, 7 transfers).
St. Monica
Head coach – Allen Caveness
2024-25 file – 18-10, 5-7 (fifth place)
No playoffs
2024-25 results vs. PMA – L 80-55, W 55-50
“The league will be much more balanced now playing only two games a week, as opposed to three,” stated Caveness, of the five-team league. “The fact that it’s a five-team league now is more conventional.”
Roster: Two seniors, three juniors, 4 sophomores, three freshmen