Mater Dei Basketball Roster: Meet the Team

Mater Dei High School’s basketball team is one of the best in the country, and they’re led by some of the best players in the country. Get to know the team with this roster.

Introducing the Mater Dei Basketball Roster

Mater Dei High School has a long tradition of excellence in basketball, and this year’s team is poised to continue that legacy. Coach Bill Bedgood has assembled a talented roster of players who are committed to working hard and playing together as a team. Here’s a closer look at each player on the 2018-19 Mater Dei basketball roster

#1) Will Bedgood – Senior Guard
Will is a four-year varsity player who has been a starter for the past two seasons. He is an explosive scorer and a tenacious defender who always seems to make the big play when the game is on the line. Will is also a terrific leader, and his teammates look to him for guidance on and off the court.

#2) Alex Johnson – Senior Guard
Alex is a second-year varsity player who has emerged as one of the team’s top scorers He has a knack for hitting Big Shots and he always seems to be open when his teammates need him most. Alex is also a gifted Defensive Player and he often comes up with key steals in crunch time.

#3) Luke Peters – Senior Forward
Luke is in his third year on varsity, and he has developed into one of the team’s most versatile players. He can score inside and out, and he uses his long arms to great effect on the defensive end of the court. Luke is a strong rebounder, and he always seems to be around the ball when it matters most.

#4) Jack Murphy – Junior Forward
Jack is in his second season on varsity, and he has quickly become one of the team’s most dependable players. He does all the little things that help his team win, and he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Jack is an excellent shooter with range beyond the three-point line and he frequently stretches defenses with his long-range bombs.

#5) Matt Cooper – Junior Guard/Forward
Matt is another versatile player who can contribute in a variety of ways. He does a great job of running the offense, and he always seems to make smart decisions with the ball in his hands. Matt is also an outstanding shooter from anywhere on the court, and he often comes up big with timely three-pointers. On defense, he uses his quickness to stay in front of opposing guards, and he isn’t afraid to take a charge when necessary.

Meet the Star Players

The Mater Dei Basketball team has a long-standing tradition of success on the court, and this year’s team is no different. Led by a core group of star players the squad is poised to make a run at the state championship Get to know the team’s Top Players below.

Wesley Bell – Senior point guard and team captain A four-year varsity player, Bell is a dynamic offensive player who can score from anywhere on the court. He’s also an excellent passer and has been among the state leaders in assists over the past two seasons.

Mike James – Senior shooting guard One of the best pure shooters in the state, James is a lethal offensive weapon who can score in bunches. He’s also a good defender and has been among the team leaders in steals over the past two seasons.

Derek Brown – Senior small forward A versatile player who can play multiple positions Brown is an excellent defender and rebounder. He’s also a quality shooter with range beyond the Three-Point Line

Joe Smith – Senior center. A big presence in the paint, Smith is a force on both ends of the court. He’s an excellent shot blocker and rebounder, and he anchor’s the team’s defense. On offense, he uses his size to good effect around the basket

The Underclassmen

The Underclassmen
Mater Dei high school has a long tradition of success in basketball, and this year’s team is no exception. The varsity roster is loaded with talent, and much of that talent is concentrated in the underclassmen. Here’s a look at the Mater Dei underclassmen who are poised to make an impact this season.

Forwards:
-Sophomore Troy Brown is one of the top players in the country regardless of class. He’s a 6’7” forward with the skills to play anywhere on the court. He’s an excellent shooter and rebounder, and he has the ability to put the ball on the floor and create for his teammates.
-Freshman Wendell Carter is another incredibly talented young player At 6’10”, he has great size for a forward, and he uses his size well to be an effective rebounder and shot-blocker. He also has a nice shooting touch, which makes him a tough matchup for opposing defenses.

Guards:
-Sophomore Jaylen Hands is one of the best pure scorers in the country. He has a quick first step and tremendous body control, which allows him to get to the rim at will. He’s also an excellent three-point shooter, which makes him difficult to defend.
-Freshman Kobe Paras is another guard with tremendous scoring ability. He’s not as big as Hands (he’s 6’4”), but he’s just as quick and he can jump out of the gym. Paras is also an excellent three-point shooter, which makes him a tough matchup for opposing defenses.

The Newcomers

The Newcomers:
Mater Dei has six new basketball players this season.

Sophomore shooting guard Elijah Hardy comes to Mater Dei from Santa Ana Mater Dei Catholic. Hardy is 6-foot-4 and averaged 17.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game last season. He was named to the All-Trinity League first team.

Junior point guard Chris Duarte transfers to Mater Dei from Montverde Academy in Florida, where he helped lead his team to a 26-2 record and a No. 4 national ranking last season. Duarte, who is 6-foot-6, averaged 11.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game last season.

Sophomore small forward Dwyan Morgan comes to Mater Dei from Pasadena Polytechnic School. Morgan is 6-foot-7 and averaged 12 points and 8 rebounds per game last season. He was named to the Cif Southern Section Division 5 first team and was named the CIF Division 5 Player of the Year.

Junior Power Forward Isaiah Mobley transfers to Mater Dei from Chino Hills high school Mobley, who is 6-foot-9, averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots per game last season. He was named to the All-Baseline League first team.

Freshman shooting guard Kobe Paras comes to Mater Dei from Cathedral High School in Los Angeles where he was named the Gatorade California Player of the Year as a junior last season. Paras is 6-foot-6 and averaged 21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocked shots per game last season.

Freshman point guard Harley Angels Lakdawala rounds out the newcomers for Mater Dei this season. Lakdawala comes to Mater Dei from Rancho Santa Margarita Catholic high school where he led his team to a 29-3 record and a CIF Division 3AA state championship last season. Lakdawala is 5-foot-10 and averaged 11 points and 5 assists per game last season.

The Coaches

The Mater Dei Basketball Program is one of the most decorated programs in all of high school basketball. The team has won 11 State Championships and has produced numerous NBA players such as Tyson Chandler, Jerryd Bayless, Bill Walton and Matt Barkley. The team is currently coached by Gary McKnight, who has been the Head Coach since 1990. He has amassed a record of 1231-74, making him the winningest coach in California high school history. He has also coached the USA Basketball Men’s Junior national team twice, in 2009 and 2011.

The Schedule

The Mater Dei Varsity Basketball team is looking forward to another great season! The team’s first game is on November 27th at 7:00 pm at home against Fairview. Here is the complete schedule for the season:

11/27 – Fairview @ Mater Dei
12/4 – Mater Dei @ foes
12/11 – Hamilton @ Mater Dei
12/18 – Mater Dei @ Princeton
1/8 – Fairfield @ Mater Dei
1/15 – Mater Dei @ Ross
1/22 – Lakota East @ Mater Dei
1/29 – Mater Dei

The Fans

Mater Dei fans are some of the most passionate and engaged fans in all of basketball. They love their team and they are always ready to support them, no matter what the score is.

The Rivalries

Mater Dei high school is one of the most successful basketball programs in the country. The team has won numerous championships and produces some of the best players in the country. The school has a strong rivalry with some of the other top basketball programs in the nation. Here is a look at some of those rivalries:

– Duke University Mater Dei and Duke have been two of the top programs in the country over the past few years. The two teams have met in the NCAA tournament several times, with Duke coming out on top most recentl
– University of Kentucky Mater Dei and Kentucky have also been two of the top programs in recent years The two teams have met in the NCAA Tournament several times, with Kentucky coming out on top most recently.
– University of North Carolina Mater Dei and North Carolina have also been two of the top programs in recent years The two teams have met in the NCAA tournament several times, with North Carolina coming out on top most recently.

The History

The Mater Dei basketball team has a long and storied history. The team was founded in the early 1950s and quickly rose to prominence, winning several championships in the early years. The team has produced many Great players over the years, including some who have gone on to have successful careers in the NBA.

The Future

Mater Dei High School’s Basketball team is one of the most dominant programs in the country. The team is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today and MaxPreps, and has won five National Championships in the last six years.

This year’s team is filled with talented players who have the potential to play at the collegiate level and beyond. Here is a closer look at some of the key members of this year’s roster:

– Zion Williamson A 6-foot-7 forward who is widely considered to be the best player in High School basketball. Williamson has offers from nearly every major college basketball program in the country, and is expected to be a one-and-done player who will go directly to the NBA after his freshman year of college.

– Bol Bol A 7-foot center who is originally from Sudan. Bol moved to Oregon with his family as a child, and began playing basketball at an early age. He played AAU Basketball for Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL), and helped lead his team to a League Championship in 2016. Bol has offers from several top college basketball programs, but has not yet made a decision on where he will play next year.

– Marvin Bagley III A 6-foot-11 forward/center who was originally from Phoenix, Arizona. Bagley moved to Southern California before his freshman year of high school and played Varsity Basketball as a freshman at Chaminade College Preparatory School in West Hills. He then transferred to Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth for his sophomore year, and led the team to a state championship while averaging 24 points and 10 rebounds per game. Bagley decommitted from UCLA in August 2017, and is currently undecided on where he will play College Basketball next season.

These are just a few of the players on this year’s Mater Dei high school basketball team roster. With so much talent on one team, it will be exciting to see what they can accomplish this season!