A convincing win in the opener of the Section 7 tournament recently proved pivotal for the confidence of the St. Mary’s boys basketball team.
Coming into the June 20-22 tournament at Arizona Athletic Grounds, the Knights hoped to learn more about themselves. And with a 78-63 victory over Florida’s Zephyrhills Christian, the Knights took a leap forward.
“Last year, every time we’d play in the first of anything, we’d always lay an egg,” said St. Mary’s coach Damin Lopez, whose team finished 2-2 in the event.. “But … they came out, they were poised and they knew what was expected of them.”
The Section 7 tournament is one of the best high school basketball events in the country, featuring some of the nation’s best players and teams. Teams compete for exposure with college coaches watching closely, and this year’s event attracted programs from 11 different states, with 192 total teams across 12 brackets
The event brought out some notable figures in Arizona. Former Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul was there and so was Arizona guard Bryce James, the son of LeBron James. Bryce was there to watch his former teammates at Sierra Canyon compete in the Cache AI bracket.
St. Mary’s was comfortable throughout its opener. Outside of a moment of brilliance from Zephyrhills Christian guard Franklin Agholor, who took off for a dunk that put the crowd in a state of shock, the Knights looked unfazed in the matchup against Toni Bryant – a five-star, 6-foot-9 inch forward ranked No. 12 in the country, according to 247 Sports. St. Mary’s made 3s, fought for rebounds and played tenacious defense.
St. Mary’s was heading into Section 7 with momentum. In March, it was crowned 4A champions after winning a tightly-contested championship game against 2024 champions Deer Valley, 59-55.
Before that, the Knights competed in the Open Division tournament, a 32-team bracket featuring the best teams in Arizona. St. Mary’s defeated West Point in the opening round of the Open but lost in the second round to Sunnyslope. Considering Sunnyslope’s run to the championship game, much can be learned from the result.
“Playing in events like this is great preparation for (the Open),” Lopez said. “It exposes our weaknesses and what we have to continue to work on throughout the year. We’re so grateful to be here.”
The Knights are led by five-star, 6-foot-11 forward Cameron Williams – the No. 10 ranked prospect in the 2026 class, according to 247 Sports. Williams has been having a productive offseason in AAU with Compton Magic, one of the best programs in the country. Williams was also invited to the Top 100 Camp in South Carolina in June.
Top 100 Camp is an event created by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) to assist top high school athletes with their development on and off the court. For Williams, it was an eye-opener into what it takes to make it far in this career.
“The biggest thing I took away from that camp was the information they gave us,” Williams said. “It shows you how you fit in with all the top players.”
Not only did Williams leave the camp with a wealth of knowledge, but he also left with an offer from his dream school: Duke University. Williams put on a strong showing in South Carolina, enough to impress Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer.
“That was amazing,” Williams said. “My dad was talking to Scheyer for like five minutes and then passed the phone to me. He was telling me about the school and then offered me. It really meant a lot, and I could see myself going there for sure.”
Williams said the offers he gets only make him work harder, knowing there is a growing target on his back. But not only does Williams see his experiences this offseason as beneficial to himself, but also for St. Mary’s and the Knights’ vision going forward.
“It helps us all grow,” Williams said. “Telling those guys how intense the practices were, I’m trying to bring that intensity to our practices. If we’re able to do that consistently, then we can win the Open state championship.”
Guard Brody Postorino, another leader for St. Mary’s, averaged 16 points per game for the Knights last season after transferring from Notre Dame Prep. Postorino is entering his senior season with one goal in mind: win the Open.
“Me and (Williams) are kind of stepping into leadership roles this year,” Postorino said. “It’s very important to me.”
Postorino said Williams’ passing is the best thing about his game. That proved to be useful against Zephyrhills Christian as Williams was handling the ball on offense more often than not. But Williams never forced anything as his on-court awareness is something he prioritizes.
“You got to know when to take it,” Williams said. “When I get the ball, there’s multiple guys looking at me. I have to realize that and find the best shot, whether that’s for me or my teammates.”
But it is Lopez and his coaching staff that push Williams and Postorino to be better every day. Lopez said it is important for his players to stick to the fundamentals because when their athleticism kicks in, they will become that much better.
St. Mary’s hopes to build on its 4A championship with a run at the Open Division. Perry won the last four Open Division championships, but with former standout Koa Peat now at Arizona, the fight for the Open is officially open.
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