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San Juan Hills Boys Basketball Captures First CIF-SS Championship

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH L A MIRADA—Feb. 25 was the culmination of a long journey for the San Juan Hills boys basketball team and coach Jason Efstathiou.

In the summer of 2019, Efstathiou was bed-ridden, barely able to move as he battled a rare form of neuropathy. The seniors on the current Stallions roster were freshmen when their coach first became sick.

Efstathiou returned to the sidelines sitting on a stool in 2020. In 2021, San Juan Hills won its first league championship.

In 2022, the Stallions repeated as league champions, advanced to their first quarterfinal, first semifinal and first CIF-SS Final. On Friday, Feb. 25, Efstathiou stood tall and raised a golden plaque over his head, as San Juan Hills became CIF-SS champion.

The Stallions charged back from a slow start to dominate the final three quarters, defeating host La Mirada, 59-49, to capture the program’s first CIF-SS title in the Division 2A Final at La Mirada High School.

“Unbelievable,” Efstathiou said, surrounded by his children and wife. “Outside of these three (my kids), probably the next-best feeling.”

“Two years ago, I was almost dead, right?” Efstathiou continued. “For me, just coming back from being bed-ridden

The Stallions charged back from a slow start to dominate the final three quarters. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

to doing this, it’s just … it’s inspiring. I have a lot to thank my wife and kids for. I was just separated from the program, and to get things back on that climb. These guys were all part of it.”

San Juan Hills (27-4) has blown away the program record for most wins in a season (16 in 2009) in Efstathiou’s seventh season at the helm. The previous high under him was 14 wins. The Stallions have also improved their league record each of the four years this team’s seniors have been with the program, including San Juan Hills’ two leading scorers and four-year varsity players: John McFadden and Mark Reichner.

“They’ve done a phenomenal job, and I’m so appreciative of them,” Efstathiou said of his senior class. “They inspire me. I told them today, we all put in this time, but you guys also inspire me to try and bring my best.”

San Juan Hills trailed La Mirada (1814) by as many as 10 points in the first quarter, and the Stallions were outrebounded, 6-1, in the opening frame.

McFadden turned it on in the second quarter with 12 points, including two 3-pointers and a coast-to-coast layup. With a block on one end and a 3-pointer on the other, senior Jake Simon kickstarted a 12-0 run that put San Juan Hills ahead, 27-24. The Stallions held a 27-26 lead at halftime.

San Juan Hills would not trail again.

“That’s the clutch gene right there,” McFadden said. “I saw that my team was down, and I said there was no way we’re losing our first ring. I just had to pull something out from inside me, and that’s what I did.”

The Stallions outscored the Matadores, 16-5, in the third quarter, including another 12-0 run that began with another momentum-swinging, 3-pointer from Simon, for a 43-31 lead going into the fourth. San Juan Hills kept La Mirada at bay in the fourth quarter to seal the game, 59-49, and clinch the program’s first section championship.

San Juan Hills outrebounded La Mirada in the second half, 12-6, and knocked down eight 3-pointers in the game, four in each half.

McFadden led San Juan Hills with 22 points. Reichner scored 11 points, with two 3-pointers. Simon and senior Marcus Parks each had eight points with two 3-pointers.

McFadden and Reichner have seen the whole journey for this San Juan Hills program and Efstathiou’s battle firsthand, which made Friday’s title celebration all the sweeter.

“It’s everything,” Reichner said. “This was for Coach E. It was for Coach E, hands down. Coach E has been the best role model, the biggest supporter of all of us. It was for him.”

“Coach E is the most dedicated coach out there,” McFadden said. “He does so much for us. Every hour of the day, he’s working for this team. He’s probably the best coach I’ve ever had in my life.”

San Juan Hills can celebrate this championship forever, as the first Stallions team to reach the mountaintop. CD

JSERRA BOYS BASKETBALL HANGS TOUGH, LOSES TO ST. BERNARD

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH, THE CAPISTRANO DISPATCH

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – Chants of “We can’t hear you!” and “Ring Season” echoed through a packed but otherwise silent gym during the final seconds of a contest last month.

The No. 8-ranked St. Bernard Vikings (19-6) pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat JSerra at home, 71-59, for the CIFSS Division 1 championship on Feb. 25 at JSerra Catholic High School.

This was JSerra’s second CIF-SS Final, but its first runner-up plaque. The Lions (19-10) won the Division 4AA title in 2014.

St. Bernard’s Jason Hart, Jr., a senior, was largely responsible for the Lions’ defeat, pouring in 15 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter.

Hart knocked down three 3-pointers and cashed in on all six free throw attempts to help his team maintain the lead.

The Vikings got off to a similarly hot start from behind the arc in the first quarter, using four 3-pointers—two from Hart—to grab a 17-11 lead at the end.

JSerra coach Keith Wilkinson said his team competed despite the nerves to remain within striking distance.

“We had a different lineup, the first lineup we’ve ever had this year without (starting guard EJ Bryson), who’s been out,” he said. “He tore his ACL in the last game, so our sophomore Sebastian Rancik came in, and I thought he did a good job for us.”

Lions guard Rob Diaz had a seven-point second quarter, helping JSerra stay close to St. Bernard. The Vikings led, 26-24, at halftime.

However, St. Bernard’s switch to a zone defense late in the second quarter started to give the Lions fits.

It slowed down the game and JSerra’s offense, allowing the Vikings to seize the momentum and jump out to a 10-point lead before Wilkinson had to call timeout.

The balance of the aggressive, man-toman defense and smartly played zone defense limited JSerra. Diaz missed all of his shots in the third quarter.

Wilkinson said it hurt not to have Bryson in that moment, as the Lions lacked their best creator and someone who could find his open teammates.

“We didn’t make shots, and we didn’t create enough opportunities against that zone,” he added. “That’s why we struggled.”

Despite Diaz’s own struggles, the coaching staff continued to encourage him to shoot and play confidently.

Other Lions chipped in to help them claw back to within four points, when St. Bernard took a timeout with 1:07 left in the third quarter. Then, the Vikings found their mojo again.

Cleaning up the turnovers that let JSerra remain close, St. Bernard stretched its lead to eight by the end of the third and led by as many as 13 points midway through the final period.

From then on, the two teams traded baskets until the end. Every time the Lions gained any momentum, St. Bernard quickly answered.

It was Hart who hit the dagger 3-pointer with 1:30 left to put the Vikings up, 63-49. Every Viking starter on the court was subbed out a minute later, except for Hart, who made his final free throws to cap off the night.

Both teams made the State playoffs, but JSerra will have to continue to limp along with so many players injured.

“Hopefully, we can regroup and make a run at State, but I’m just so proud of these guys,” Wilkinson said. CD