Boys Basketball

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Justin Williams-Bell - Head Coach - Varsity Basketball

Santa Margarita Catholic High School announces the hiring of Justin Williams-Bell as the head varsity boys basketball coach. Williams-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, Williams-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. The former All-CIF guard received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Riverside, where he played for the UCR Highlanders, and a Master of Arts from Concordia University.

 

 

Terrence Worthy - Varsity Assistant Coach

Terrence was a standout high school basketball player at Valley Christian High School in San Jose. He was a 4-year starter, where he received multiple All-League & All-State awards, as well as winning multiple league and CCS championships. Following the end of his High School career, he received an athletic scholarship to play for Ken Amman at Concordia University-Irvine. There, he became a 4-year starter, and graduated as one of the University's most decorated players in program & school history. He won an astounding 118 games, while only losing 23 contests. He was a 3-time All-league selection & achieved All-American status 3 consecutive years. After college, Terrence had a brief stint playing professionally in Europe before deciding to return stateside to pursue a more fulfilling career. After pursuing his higher education, and earning his Master's Degree in Education and teaching credential, Terrence became a middle school teacher and basketball coach. Eventually, his true passion for athletics and his ability to teach youth would steer him towards a career in both basketball training and coaching. In 2016, Terrence was honored by his alma mater, and was inducted into Concordia’s Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2017, he founded Meritorious Training, a youth basketball training company dedicated to providing youth-level players with high quality instruction that focuses on developing the athleticism, basketball IQ, and fundamental skills of each player.

Andrew Ammann - Varsity Assistant 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.

Debbie mcgregor - director of basketball operations

Chuck Walker – Head Coach – Jv gold

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.

Kevin Tate - jv gold Assistant CoachGreg evans- head coach- freshman gold

This is Coach Evans’ first year on the Eagle Basketball Staff.  Previously, he coached at Saddleback Valley Christian School for 5 years where he oversaw the lower-level programs. Coach Evans was a standout high school basketball player at Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach where he earned All-CIF Southern Section and was nominated to the McDonalds All-American Team. He also played volleyball where he was selected on the All-County Team. After high school, Coach Evans received an athletic scholarship to play basketball at Loyola Marymount for Paul Westhead and the “Run-N-Gun System”.  After a midseason knee injury his freshman year, he finished his career at Chapman University. Greg has been working in the electrical industry for over 25 plus years, but his true passion is mentoring young men and teaching the fundamentals of basketball. Coach Evans lives in Mission Viejo with his wife Carol and Sixteen-year-old daughter Savannah.  Greg enjoys watching and supporting Savannah who plays volleyball at JSerra and Club. Coach enjoys spending time with his family at the beach or lake where they like to relax, listen to music, play volleyball, surf and paddleboard. 

donald green- freshman gold 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. 

 

 

 

rocco defilippo - head Coach- jv blue

Coach Rocco is in his 9^th year of coaching in the Boys’ Basketball Program at Santa Margarita, and has worked with various levels during this time.  He is currently the Head Coach of the Eagle JV Blue Team,  and is in his 8^th year as a full-time Contract Substitute Teacher in the classroom at SM.  Coach DeFilippo also served as Director of Boys’ Basketball Operations over a 6 year period. Coach is originally from Steelton, Pennsylvania and played for his Father, Mariano Sr., at Bishop McDevitt Catholic High School in Harrisburg, PA.  He attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA where he played four years of NCAA basketball under Coach David L. Maloney, and earned his Bachelor’s Degree with a double major in Business (Tepper School) and Psychology. Prior to working at SM, Coach Rocco’s career in business spanned 25 years with Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, including 10 years in senior management.  He has also worked with Solutions 21 -- a global consulting firm out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that has had engagements with clients in over 25 countries.  During this time, Coach also served nearly 10 years as a basketball official in Detroit and Ann Arbor, Michigan, as well as the Cleveland and Akron, Ohio markets. Coach Rocco and his Family have been residents of Orange County since 1994. 

alan dolensky - jv blue Assistant Coach

Alan Dolensky rejoins our Santa Margarita Boys Basketball Coaching Staff this season after spending time focusing on his teaching, real estate, and referring career. Alan’s love of the game began at a young age and continued through a championship college experience as a Lobo at the University of New Mexico. There he earned both Defensive End MVP Junior Year and Overall MVP Senior Year. Later Alan went on to be honored as a member of the SoCal Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and the OC Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Alan has coached several teams over the past 20 years inspiring youth to achieve their best in the sport and is looking forward to bringing his years of experience of joy of basketball to our players.

 

 

 

Art Meddaugh- Head Coach- Freshman Blue

Coach Meddaugh is in his fourth year on the Eagle's Basketball Staff, and fifthteenth season coaching overall. He has served as an assistant on the Freshman and Sophomore levels, and last season helped guide the Freshman Gold to a Tournament Title and a Co-Trinity League Championship. Art really enjoys the family atmosphere at SM, and has seen a real improvement in player development over the past couple of years. Art has been a Head Coach on the NJB/All Net level, and an assistant, Co-Head, and Head Coach at the Sophomore level at Mater Dei. Art helped guide his MD teams to several Tournament Titles, Serra and Trinity League Championships, and in 2012-13 he directed his Monarchs to the Trinity League Title. Art has also worked as an assistant and Head Coach at the Freshman and Sophomore levels at Dana Hills. In 2014-15 Art guided his Sophomore squad to the South Coast League Title game and the best record in the basketball program. Art is originally from the Metro Detroit area, lived briefly in Naperville, Illinois, and then moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan where he played soccer, football, and basketball at Forest Hills. Art moved with his family to Mission Viejo, is a Capistrano Valley grad, and played football for the Cougars. Art earned his Associate of Arts Degree from Saddleback College and was accepted into Cal State Fullerton's Honors History program, but put his education on hold to work and raise his son Cody, now 26, in South Orange County. Art enjoys reading, trivia games, listening to music, and following his Detroit sports teams all year round.

derek mcgregor - freshman blue Assistant CoachCoach 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.

• 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

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