Saint Mary’s Boys Basketball Announces 2021-22 Season Schedule
Phoenix, Arizona – The Saint Mary’s Boys basketball team’s full schedule for 2021-22 was released today, highlighted by eight home games and several strong road and neutral-site contests, including 3 games at the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns. The Knights home opener is December 2 against Seton Catholic and the other home contests will be against Rock Canyon, a preseason top 5 program out of Colorado (December 16th – Hoopcoming), Poston Butte (January 4), and 5 Skyline Region games. Road games this season will serve as tough tests for the Knights. In addition to their Skyline Region contests, the Knights open their road schedule against the 4A Runner Up last year Paradise Honors (December 4) and will travel to Atlanta, Georgia to play against Milton High School. Milton was the AAAAAA Georgia State Champion and finished #7 in MaxPreps ratings last season and returns a bulk of their line up this season. The Knights will also play Catholic rival Brophy Prep (December 8) and perennial powerhouse Bishop Gorman (December 11) and in the Hoophall West Showcase. Brophy will be played at Chaparral High School while the Bishop Gorman game will be at the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix.
The Knights will also compete at the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic, a multi-team event in San Diego, Calif., and will travel to New Orleans for their second tournament, the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic, a tournament that features several of last year’s State Champions and local teams from Louisiana. "We are really proud of the schedule that our staff has put together," Saint Mary’s Coach Damin Lopez said. "We are going to be highly challenged by some quality opponents that should have great seasons in their respective states and conferences. It provides our student-athletes the opportunity to see different parts of the country, a different brand of ball, and simply, a chance to compete against the best. A schedule like this is put forth with the help of wonderful people, so we are grateful to Matt King (Hoophall West), Donnie Wilkie (Allstate Sugar Bowl), John Olive (Torrey Pines), Jeff Feldman (Hoopin’ It Up at the Arena) and other coaches like Matt Hooten (Brophy) willing to make this schedule happen.”
The Knights return a solid core of players from last season’s State Championship team including All-Arizona guard Garrison Phelps (6’6”), Styles Phipps (6’2” Guard), Jeremiah Cherry (6’10” Forward), Foune Doucoure (6’8” Forward), Seydou Tamboura (6’7” Wing) and Jacob Estrella (6’2” Guard).
