Loyola’s Varsity Basketball team wrapped up its 2018-19 season in mid-February with a 23-7 overall record, a CIF Quarterfinal appearance and a regular season Mission League Championship.

With 19-year veteran and head coach Jamal Adams ’90 at the helm, Loyola’s end-of-season resume was filled with noteworthy wins and stellar team and individual performances. After a rocky start in which Loyola was 5-4 through the first month of the season, the Cubs went on a tear in December, stringing together 11 straight victories with titles at the Sand Dune Classic in San Francisco and the Bosco Winter Classic in Bellflower. 

One of Loyola’s signature wins came back on Dec. 14 in the Bosco Winter Classic semifinal, where the Cubs stunned then-No. 3-ranked and previously undefeated tournament host St. John Bosco on the Braves’ home court, 78-75. That victory would propel Loyola into the championship game the following night against Windward, where senior guard Neil Owens would hit a three pointer with 3.2 seconds remaining to give the Cubs the 64-61 win and the tournament title. 

Loyola went on to win 16 of 17 games from December to January, going 5-1 overall during league play—with thrilling victories over rival Harvard-Westlake and Crespi on the road—and claiming the regular season Mission League Championship.

That impressive run pushed the Cubs into the Top 20 State rankings for the first time this season, and eventually, Loyola took the No. 4 overall seed into the CIF Division I Playoffs. There, the Cubs defeated Serra and Pasadena in the first two rounds at home before falling in a triple overtime classic to Windward on the road in the CIF Quarterfinal game.

Loyola will say goodbye to its nine-man senior class comprised of James Keefe, Anthony Lucenti, CJ Jones, Neil Owens, Mason Butler, Jake Perfitt, Jared Cox, Paul Hawkins and James Nugent. Keefe was named to the All-Mission League First Team, while Lucenti, Jones and Owens earned Second Team honors.

The members of the Class of 2019 were all honored with a Senior Night Ceremony back on Jan. 25 against St. Francis, and their 71-62 victory that night helped the Cubs clinch the regular season Mission League title. Next year, Loyola will return eight of its letterwinners, with Jamal Adams ’90 entering his 20th year of coaching.

Congratulations to all of our student-athletes on an outstanding season! And to our seniors, thank you for representing Loyola High School well both on and off the court. We will miss you! #GoCubs #C4L