Mater Dei HS (29‑6)

Top Players

• 6-4 JR Luke Barnett
• 6-4 SR Owen Verna (ST. JOSEPH'S)
• 6-9 SR Blake Davidson (NEVADA)
• 6-5 JR Malloy Smith
• 6-1 SR Riley Hale
• 6-8 SOPH DeMarcus Henry

Monarchs At A Glance

High school basketball’s winningest active coach Gary McKnight brings Mater Dei to its 11th City of Palms Classic – with a 28-10 tournament record, three championships (2006, 2008 & 2023 Sunshine) and three third-place finishes on his Fort Myers resume. … Mater Dei sputtered after a 26-2 start, leaving McKnight two games short of a 12th state title, but battled rival St. John Bosco to the wire in a 71-68 playoff loss that featured 24 lead changes and 13 ties. Three key players return in sharpshooter 6-4 JR Luke Barnett (14.7 ppg, 3 rpg), who made 113 3-pointers last season, St. Joseph’s commit 6-4 SR Owen Verna (14 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.2 apg) and Nevada pledge 6-9 SR Blake Davidson (11.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg). The extremely deep Mater Dei lineup also features 6-5 JR Malloy Smith (2.6 ppg), son of TNT’s Kenny Smith, heady defender 6-1 SR Riley Hale and 6-8 SOPH DeMarcus Henry. … Mater Dei has won one national championship (2014), 11 California state crowns, 24 CIF Southern Section banners and 40 of 42 league titles since McKnight took over in 1982. His 1,272 career victories (140 losses) leave the 72-year-old coach just two wins shy of DeMatha legend Morgan Wootten and 61 behind national record-holder Robert Hughes (Fort Worth Dunbar TX). During the McKnight Era, nine of his players have gone on to play in the NBA

NO. NAME POS. HT WT GR.
1 Beckett Williams G 6-1 150 9
2 Nick Anoc G 5-10 155 12
3 Owen Verna G 6-4 195 12
4 Blake Davidson F 6-9 190 12
5 Demarcus Henry G-F 6-6 160 10
11 Andrew Niccol G 6-0 155 12
12 Evan Willis G-F 6-7 165 9
13 Ethan Rickett G 6-0 155 12
14 Luke Barnett G 6-4 185 11
15 Lucas Gaspar G 6-6 190 10
20 Cooper Reed F 6-4 170 12
22 DJ Quiette G 6-2 175 12
24 Stephen Ram F 6-4 180 12
25 Will Price F 6-2 170 11
30 Malloy Smith G 6-6 165 11
31 Jacob Almazan G 5-11 130 12
32 Ender Berg F 6-10 210 10
33 Marko Kovac C 6-11 220 11
34 Noah Condon G 5-10 135 10
35 Ayden Quinn G 6-1 165 9
41 Vince Van NieKerk G-F 6-4 185 12
42 Joshua Dodson G 6-0 160 12
44 Riley Hale G 6-3 180 12
54 Tim Wurmlinger F 6-5 185 9