Undefeated St. Pius boys search for elusive first state championship

The Golden Lions beat No. 7 Tucker 79-54 — scoring 20 unanswered points to start the second quarter — in the Region 5-4A championship game. It was their third victory over the Tigers this season. St. Pius also has two region wins over No. 6 Southwest DeKalb and three victories over rival Marist.

The Golden Lions have an elite player in guard Harrison Reynolds, a 6-foot-5 senior who has signed with Clemson. Reynolds is a four-star prospect — rated as high as the No. 7 shooting guard in Georgia — who averages 24 points, six rebounds and three assists and has the ability to take over a game when necessary.

“He’s like a queen on a chessboard. He can play any position,” Cloyd said. “We have multiple leaders, but he’s one of the guys that when the chips are down and you really need a stop or a bucket, he’s a guy you can rely on. He’s not afraid of the moment in any way, shape or form.”

Cloyd, who coached Reynolds in the seventh grade, said Reynolds has always been able to rise to the occasion.

“We were playing at Tucker and we were down two going into the fourth and he goes on a 10-0 run by himself, including a couple of Sports Center-type dunks,” Cloyd said. “People will talk about that game for a long time. Even the opposing fans were talking about that game when they were leaving because no one had seen a player do that at this level.”

St. Pius has another outstanding player in D’Marley Elliott, a 6-6 senior who has signed with Columbus State. Elliott averages 12 points and eight rebounds and holds the school’s career rebounding record. Cloyd called him “the backbone of our team.” Elliott is also a matchup nightmare — too quick for the bigger players and too big for the smaller guys.

“He’s a guy we rely on to rebound the ball and settle us down in tough situations,” Cloyd said. “He rises to the occasion. I mean, he had a huge game in the region championship against Tucker.” Elliott produced 16 points and seven rebounds in the final.

Other seniors who have been with the program for four years are Thomas Rogers, a high-motored player who averages 7.5 points and four rebounds, and Westin Keppen, who averages five assists. Rogers takes pride in guarding the opponent’s best offensive player and Keppen is a calming influence who knows how to get the ball in the right hands when it matters most.

The team likes to play fast and emphasize the transition game, but they’re skillful enough to adapt and play a half-court style if needed, something they had to do against Southwest DeKalb and Marist.

“Our transition game is something we practice a lot,” Cloyd said. “These guys just have a knack for it. We fly the ball up the court with reckless abandon and it’s something that has served us well. We’ve been able to put pressure on our opponents with our transition offense and with our half-court defense.”

Unlike many of the top teams in the state, this St. Pius team is a homegrown bunch. Most of the guys have been together since the seventh grade.

“People say ‘Where did you get Harris? Or where did you get D’Marley,’ and the answer is they’ve been in our program since they were 11, 12 years old,” Cloyd said. “They played together at St. John Neumann. They love St. Pius and they’re here because they want to be and because it as a place that’s more than just basketball. It’s also a spiritual home and an academic home.

“It’s where all their friends go and there surrounded by people who love them and support them. That’s how you get to be successful. There’s a larger goal at play here than just playing basketball. It’s about leaving a legacy and paying it forward to future generals the way guys paid it forward for them.”