Basketball’s importance at St. Raymond was made clear by the mere fact The Bronx school held a press conference to name its new basketball coach. It became clear once it began why Jorge Lopez was hired to continue the team’s run of excellence.
St. Raymond athletic director Ben Aquirre spoke extensively about the Ravens’ winning pedigree. How important it is at The Bronx school for team to continue its current path of winning titles while at the same time producing Division I athletes who are at the same solid students as well as citizens.
That was the search committee’s focus in picking Lopez, who displayed those qualities.
“That really stood out for us,” Aguirre said. “Coach Lopez was the one we felt was right for us.”
The 38-year-old Lopez, who came to the school 12 years ago as its varsity ‘B’ coach and has spent the last nine seasons as former coach Oliver Antigua’s top assistant on the varsity as well as the freshman coach, was introduced as St. Ray’s newest head man on Monday. He was among five finalists, Aguirre said, and the only one in-house.
“This is 12 years in the making,” said Lopez.
A U.S. History teacher at the school, Lopez described the appointment as “a privilege,” and a “special moment” he won’t soon forget. The Sacred Heart (Yonkers) and SUNY-Albany graduate coached at Our Lady of Angels before coming to St. Ray’s and has worked talent camps with The Hoop Group and Five Star. He takes over for Antigua, who left in June to join Steve Masiello’s staff at Manhattan College after winning three city titles, including one last March.
Lopez will retain assistants Chris Williams, Shon Taylor and Branan Burde. He has yet to name his top assistant, who will also coach the freshman team, though Williams is believed to be the front-runner.
Lopez doesn’t plan to change much of what Antigua did. He learned a great deal under the former coach, and wants to remain an up-tempo team that relies on pressure defense. Like Antigua, he is a yeller, easy-going off the court and intense on it.
“I do less jumping though,” Lopez joked.
The move was applauded by the team’s returning players, many of whom have first-hand experience playing under Lopez on the freshman team. Rising senior Shane Rector, who Lopez feels will be the best guard in the city next winter, enjoyed playing for Lopez, he said, because of the freedom he afforded his players.
“I liked his coaching style,” said Rector, who holds scholarship offers from Hofstra, Dayton, Providence and UMass, among others. “On freshmen, he lets us play. He trusted us.”
Lopez’s mission is to keep St. Ray’s on its current path, to continue to win championships and develop high-caliber players as much as young men. As much as he is thrilled with the promotion, Lopez is far from content.
While the program returns just two seniors, Rector and Lorenzo Rojas, it has a series of talented underclassmen in, such as rising junior guards Kahari Beaufort, Kayvon Williams and Shawn Jones and Dominican Republic transfer Luis Santos, a 6-foot-8 pivot.
“I believe we’re going to have a lot of success,” Lopez said. “I think we can continue on the winning tradition of St. Raymond’s.”