Boys Basketball

Justin Williams-Bell: Head Coach | Varsity Basketball

Coach Justin Bell is entering his 4th season as head boys’ basketball coach at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. In the 2021-2022 season, the Eagles finished with a record of 20-4, and a second-place finish in the Trinity League with a 7-3 league record. During the 2020-2021 season the Eagles won the CIF State Regional Championship.

Bell comes to Orange County after serving as the associate head men’s basketball coach at the University of California, Riverside as well as the interim head coach during the 2017-18 season. Prior to UCR, Bell was the associate head coach at Concordia University Irvine, where he helped lead the team to a NAIA national championship in 2011-12. He also served as an assistant boys’ basketball coach at De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif. from 2007-10. Coach Williams-Bell attended Escondido High School in San Diego County where he was a four-year, All-League basketball player, and lead his team to the CIF Championship game his senior year. Following his high school career, he went on to play point guard at Saddleback College for Bill Brummel and Andy Ground. Following his career at Saddleback College, Bell went on to play point guard UC Riverside in the Big West Conference. Immediately following his playing career, Bell worked for the Golden State Warriors as an assistant youth basketball coordinator for three years. Bell received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California Riverside, and his Master of Arts from Concordia University – Irvine. He resides in south orange county with his wife Seyram, and there three daughters Noelle, Giselle, and Jenelle.

Andrew Ammann: Varsity Assistant & Head JV Gold Coach

Coach Andrew Ammann is a first-year varsity assistant coach at Santa Margarita. Prior to joining the SM coaching staff, Andrew was a high school standout basketball player at Foothill High School in Tustin, California. He was a 2-year varsity starter, winning a Century League Championship and CIF-SS Division 1A Championship. Following the conclusion of his high school career, Andrew went on to play at Citrus College in Glendora, California. During his time at Citrus, Andrew was a two-year starter, winning back-to-back Conference Championships and enjoying a 51-12 record during those two seasons. Following Citrus College, Andrew transferred to NCAA Division II Concordia University Irvine, playing for his father, Ken Ammann. At Concordia, Andrew was a starter in his Senior year. Following graduation with a degree in History and Political Thought and earning a teaching credential, he was hired as a teacher here at SM; where he teaches US History, MUN US History, and AP Micro/Macro Economics.

 

Atur Turakhia: Varsity Assistant Coach

Coach Atur Turakhia, better known to the team simply as “Doc,” is entering his second season with the varsity coaching staff. He joined the Eagles for the 2020-21 season and was a part of that team’s 2021 CIF Southern California Boys Basketball Division 2-AA Championship run. Turakhia brings a wide range of experience to Santa Margarita Catholic High School. Focused on making the intangibles tangible, he has created and authored a self-published playbook titled Find Net Mindset: A Playbook for Aspiring Leaders and Champions. The book has four chapters -- Grit, Grind, Chemistry, & Culture -- and he brings these concepts to the team. The foreword of this book is written by NBA skills coach Drew Hanlen, who Turakhia has been mentored by for 3 years. Hanlen is best known for his work with NBA stars such as Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine, and more. Turakhia spent time assisting Hanlen with pre-draft and offseason workouts and was able to learn insider practices about working with rising stars at all levels of basketball, including drill development, teaching microskills, and using film to give feedback. Born and raised in Southern California, Turakhia later graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, obtained his medical degree at UC Irvine, and completed both general psychiatry residency and child & adolescent psychiatry fellowship at UC San Diego. He has been recognized by peers in his region as a 3-time Physician of Excellence and served as the chair of the Youth Sports Committee for the International Society for Sports Psychiatry. From early on, Coach Turakhia embodied the Eagle way of pursuing excellence while still upholding important community values, becoming the youngest Boy Scout in his troop to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. He looks forward to contributing to future teams' successes.

GARRETT jEFFERSON: Varsity Assistant Coach/DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS

Garrett Jefferson begins his first season as varsity assistant and director of basketball operations for the Santa Margarita Eagles. Jefferson joins the Eagles with an array of experience both as a player and coach. Prior to joining the Eagles Jefferson began his coaching career as a varsity assistant during the 2021-2022 season at Servite high school. Upon completing a year at Servite he moved on to become a graduate assistant for the California Baptist University Riverside Lancers during the 2023 – 2024 season.

While at Cal Baptist Jefferson helped the Lancers finish 16-17 and make the WAC Tournament for the third consecutive season where they defeated #5 Utah Valley in the opening round before falling to Seattle U in the Quarterfinals. While at Cal Baptist Jefferson played a crucial role, supporting the team in player development, scouting, defensive strategies, and day to day basketball operations.

Before joining the staff at Cal Baptist Jefferson played 7 seasons of professional basketball overseas in Peru, Germany, and Australia. Prior to playing overseas Jefferson played JUCO basketball at citrus college where he helped lead his team to a 27-6 record before eventually falling in the state finals to San Francisco City College. He then played two years at the university of Hawaii before finishing his senior season at Cal Baptist. During his time at Cal Baptist, he lead the team to a 16-0 start best in program history, while also helping them win the PacWest Championship, and earn a spot in the NCAA division two tournament.

Jefferson hopes to use his coaching and playing experience to bring even greater success to the Santa margarita basketball program.

Kevin Tate: JV Gold - Assistant coach

Coach Kevin Tate attended Trabuco Hills High School. After high school, he continue playing basketball in competitive men’s leagues. His pursuit to be a better basketball player and coach lead him to JW Basketball were he has been trained and has coached for the last 5 years. Working with kids for the ages of 3 - high school . Kids with special needs, international club teams. His present day basketball quest has has led him to Nikos were the everyday focus is to develop youth and teens basketball skills and character by leading by example and always putting the interest of the individual youth or teen first.

 

 

donald green: jv blue - assistant coach

Coach Green is in his first year on the Eagle's Basketball Staff, and 4th season coaching overall. Donnie is excited to serve as an assistant coach for the Freshmen team, and instill what it means to be an SM Eagle both on and off the court. Donnie is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. Donnie attended Saint Louis University where he earned his  B.A. in Media and Journalism  with  a minor in Sports Business.  He went on to earn his Masters in Education from the University of Notre Dame in 2015. Through his time in education, he has served in various roles of teacher, coach, and administrator. Donnie enjoys boxing, paddle boarding, listening to podcasts, and cheering on all of the Cleveland sports teams. 

 

 

 

Chuck Walker: Freshman gold - head coach

Coach Walker is in his fourth year on the Eagle Basketball Staff. He will continue to focus his time on the incoming Freshman. He received his B.A. in Business from Loyola Marymount University and his M.B.A from Pepperdine University. Coach has worked for over 30 years in executive leadership positions in the IT Consulting industry. During the coming season Coach Walker will also finish up his master’s in theological studies and be available to substitute teach. He was born in Salem, Ohio and played under legendary coach Jack Errion at Saint Anthony’s High School in Long Beach, California. Coach brings what he learned from Coach Errion to his teams today, they will be fundamentally sound, disciplined and will always respect the game, teammates and opponents. Prior to joining the staff at Santa Margarita, Chuck coached for over 30 years in the local youth sports scene. He coached travel basketball and soccer teams. Many of the kids Chuck has coached have gone on to excel at SMCHS, including Wolfie Wood, currently on the coaching staff. Although this is Chuck’s fourth year coaching at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, he has been involved with the school since 1992, watching his 6 children graduate. They were all active in SMCHS athletics; daughter Sarah, basketball and swimming; Melissa, soccer; Johnny, football and track, Jessi, basketball and track; Chris, basketball and soccer and Emily, volleyball.

Selah Robins: Freshman gold - Assistant coach

derek mcgregor: freshman blue - Head Coach

Coach Derek has twenty years of experience coaching sports; six of those years at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. He has and is currently coaching two sports at SMCHS: Boys’ Basketball and Girls’ Softball. His philosophy is simple work hard, put your team first, be prepare, implement structure, encourage each other, and keep a positive mindset. Coach Derek has watched three of his own play sports at SMCHS prior to attending TCU and Oklahoma State. He also had an exchange student for six years who played basketball at SMCHS and is now a professional player in China. He has been married for the past twenty-nine years to wife Debbie McGregor. Coach Derek currently runs a successful engineering firm for the past thirty-five years. Along with coaching, Derek gives back to his community by sitting on public and private boards and teaching after school programs.

 

 

Dennis Kozak: Freshman Blue- Assistant Coach

Santa Margarita Catholic High School announces the hiring of Dennis Kozak as Assistant Coach for the Boys Freshman Basketball Blue team.  Coach Dennis served as Head Coach for 5 years in Rancho Santa Margarita National Junior Basketball, including leading the RSM NJB All-Star U-11 team to the Regional Championship. Coach Dennis lettered in High School basketball four years, playing for Birmingham Brother Rice in Michigan, where he was a two-year starter, helping lead them to two Detroit Catholic League Championships, a #11 ranking in the U.S. while earning all Detroit Catholic League honors.  Dennis graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing.  Dennis worked for 36 years for Pfizer Pharmaceutical, with roles in sales and marketing, retiring recently after serving the past 20 years as Vice President of Sales. Dennis and his wife Andrea have been a part of the SMCHS community beginning with their older daughter Grace, class of 2020, who was a 4 year letter winner and 3 year starter for the SM Girls Varsity basketball; continuing now with their younger daughter Emma, a freshman who plays for the SM Girls Junior Varsity. “My wife Andrea and I have been blessed as parents to experience the impact of SMCHS on our older daughter Grace due to the incredible environment and culture rich with high values and standards.  Grace is excelling now at Boston College, in large part due to the rigor and quality of education and leadership at SMCHS.   And now I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to help develop our young men in the SM Freshman basketball program in character and faith,” Coach Dennis said.

kRISTI nEMETH: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT OF PROGRAM OPERATIONSKristi joins Santa Margarita High School as the Assistant to the Director or Operations. She comes with an extensive background in business and sports. Starting with growing up as the daughter of legendary and late basketball coach, Jim Harris of Ocean View High School. She also played club (Cal Jrs), high school (El Toro HS), and collegiate volleyball (USD) earning accolades such as national titles, all league, and team captain at every level. She played for the University of San Diego and graduated with a Business Administration degree. She worked for Cathy Jean Shoe Company for 17 years after graduating, and ended her career as VP of sales. She has since worked for Ladera Sports Center and The Ranch resort in Laguna Beach in the accounting department. She has been married to her high school sweetheart for over 30 years and has three adult children and one son in law. All of whom played sports like soccer and basketball at the highest levels. All this experience as a coach's daughter, a player, and a parent of a player, will allow her to give a unique perspective on the job and to the members of our program. 

Watch exciting Eagle basketball broadcasted live by the Eagle TV 2.0 student broadcasting class.

CLICK TO VIEW

Click Here For Tickets

2024 Boys Basketball Media Sales Guide

Media Guide Sales Link

• 1993 - League Champions
• 1994 - CIF Champions
• 1994 - League Champions
• 1995 - League Champions
• 1996 - CIF Champions
• 1996 - League Champions
• 1998 - CIF Champions
• 1998 - League Champions
• 1998 - State Champions
• 1999 - League Champions
• 2004 - CIF Champions
• 2004 - League Champions
• 2005 - CIF Champions
• 2008 - State Champions
• 2014 - CIF Champions
• 2019 - CIF Champions
• 2021 - CIF-SS Regional Champions