Damin Lopez steps down as St. Mary’s (Ariz.) boys basketball coach

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A top high school boys basketball head coach has stepped down from his position, according to multiple outlets.

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Damin Lopez has resigned as the head boys basketball coach at Phoenix (Ariz.) St. Mary’s Catholic High School. The Knights during the nine seasons that Lopez was the program’s lead man won a total of 175 games and amongst one of the best teams in the country.

St. Mary’s finished last season competing for the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Open Division state championship, losing to nationally ranked Sunnyslope, 60-51. With Lopez now out as the Knights’ head coach, St. Mary’s becomes one of the top vacancies in the country for boys hoops.

BREAKING: Damin Lopez has resigned as head boys basketball coach at St Mary’s

Under Lopez, St Mary’s finished the 2025-26 season No. 23 in the country and as Open Division runner up. Lopez, first took over in 2017 as head coach of the Knights and in 9 seasons won 175 games and…

— Jacob Seliga (@jacob_seliga) June 15, 2026

Last season St. Mary’s finished with a solid 23-7 record, playing against national powers like Paul VI Catholic (Va.), McCallie School (Tenn.), Bartow (Fla.) and a number of others.

The highlight of the 2025-26 campaign for the Knights was when they upset the Goodyear (Ariz.) Millennium Tigers in the AIA Open Division semifinals.

St. Mary junior guard Mick Riordan nailed a buzzer-beating, game winning 3-pointer to send Millennium home and ending their season. Millennium was ranked No. 8 in the country, according to the latest Rivals National 2025 High School Boys Basketball Composite Rankings.

The Knights this time around will have to remain on the national scene with Lopez and also the graduation of five-star power forward Cam Williams, who is now at Duke.

According to the last set of Arizona 2025 High School Boys Basketball Massey Rankings, the Knights finished the season ranked within the Top 5 teams in the state.

More about Saint Mary’s Catholic High School​

“Saint Mary’s Catholic High School, founded in 1917, is the oldest Catholic high school in Arizona. Located in Phoenix, the school provides a comprehensive liberal arts education, emphasizing academic rigor, faith formation, and athletic excellence. Saint Mary’s fosters a diverse student body and is dedicated to developing young men and women who are committed to truth, virtue, and community service. The school is known for its strong spiritual foundation, academic success, and sports programs.”

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