by Macade Maxwell and Owen Stelzer, co-Sports Editors

After a remarkable 2024 season that saw the St. John Bosco varsity basketball team claim the CIF State Division One Championship, the Braves enter the new season with high expectations. Ranked number five in the nation by MaxPreps and deemed “the team to beat in high school basketball” by Los Angeles Times reporter Eric Sondheimer, the Braves are poised to make another deep run in both state and national competition.

Head Coach Matt Dunn has every reason to be confident. The Braves return an elite core of players that rival any in the country. Among them is junior guard Brandon McCoy, the nation’s top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2026, according to On3. Senior guard Elzie Harrington and junior forward Christian Collins join him, forming what Sports Illustrated has titled “arguably the best trio in California.”

The Braves are now off to a promising 7-0 start to begin the season, living up to all the hype thus far. After a dominant 81-40 victory in their season opener against Francis Parker, the Braves headed to Illinois to compete in the Kevin Brown Memorial Tournament of Champions, which strives to fight against a form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. 

The Braves came to play this time around as they dominantly won every game—with final scores of 74-45 against Metamora, 85-38 against Paideia, 77-46 against DeKalb and 72-62 against St. Francis Episcopal to secure the tournament championship. Elzie, Christian and Brandon earned First Team All-Tournament honors with their stellar performances throughout the week. In addition, Elzie won tournament MVP, and Brandon won the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

McCoy, who already carries the weight of being the top player in his class, is a clear leader on the team.

“This is a good start to the season, but there’s still a lot of basketball left,” said Brandon. “We just got to keep working, that’s all.” 

Bosco’s remaining schedule includes marquee games in Arizona, Massachusetts and, of course, the highly competitive Trinity League, which pits them against top-ranked teams from across the nation.

For the players, these high-profile games are not just opportunities to prove themselves but to grow together as a unit.

“Playing against good teams only helps us out,” said Christian. 

While the star players draw much of the spotlight, Coach Dunn emphasizes the importance of the entire roster.

“This team’s depth is what makes us special,” he said. “From the starters to the bench, everyone has a role and everyone contributes.”

That said, carrying some of the top players in the country definitely puts a brighter spotlight on the Braves this season. 

“There is certainly more attention (mainly social media attention) on this year’s team than have been in years past,” Coach Dunn said. “That does not add any more pressure, but we certainly are excited about the opportunity of having a great team.”

The Braves beat local rival St. Pius-St. Matthias Academy, ranked #15 in the area according to the Los Angeles Times, by a score of 85-77. As the season continues, Bosco Basketball’s sights are set firmly on a Southern Section and State Open Division Championship, with aspirations of making waves on the national stage.

“Our goal is simple: compete at the highest level,” said Coach Dunn. “We have the talent, we have the experience, and we have the hunger. It’s about putting it all together and seeing where it takes us.”

The team will compete in their very own Braves Varsity Winter Classic this week in the Thunderdome, having won their opening round match up against Fremont by a 64-point margin on Monday. Their next game is tomorrow at 6pm against the winner of Don Bosco Tech and Hesperia.