St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy’s Jaden Erami (2) drives a layup as they play St. Monica in their Del Rey league opener at St. Monica High School in Santa Monica on Wednesday. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

SANTA MONICA – It was an old-fashioned blowout win for the undefeated St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy Warriors (PMA) in the opening game of the Del Rey League.

The Warriors, who improved to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in league, defeated host St. Monica, 80-55, Wednesday night.

In addition, PMA has extended its record league winning streak to 41 wins, dating back to 2019.

PMA started slowly but turned it on in a 29-point second quarter to win going away.

Leading the way for the visitors was senior guard Jaden Erami (1-2 FTM, 3PM, 9 Baskets) with 22 points and junior guard Kayleb Kearse (3-4 FTM, Basket) with 17 points, which included a game-high four 3-pointers.

“It was close in the first quarter, and it was tied and we just had to pick it up a notch,” said Erami, who transferred to PMA last season from Bosco Tech. “When coach talked to us, we just had to pick it up a notch and we didn’t want the game to be close and wanted to make a statement and lead early and blowing the first team (in league) out and that’s what we did here.”

Junior forward Dayvion Gates (1-2 FTM, 2-3PM, 3 Baskets) added 13 points, while seniors Saul Anaya (3-3PM, Basket) and Doug Langford, Jr. (5-6 FTM, 3 Baskets) scored 11 each. Senior Center David Shelia (2-4 FTM, 2 Baskets) added 6 points.

PMA seventh-year coach Donte Archie said to his players during a slow-starting first quarter, “…..We can beat these guys by 30 if we just listen and play hard.”

After a sluggish first quarter with a 17-17 tie, the Warriors, behind a hot-handed Erami with 15 points in the second, poured it on and led by 17 points at the break (46-29).

“We just had to get the ball and relax and see the floor and once we move the ball to the right spots, we got easy shots and it was easy,” he explained. “I watched the film of them, and I know their coach and what he likes to do with the trap and stuff and once (PMA) settled down and started listening the shots will be there for us.

“There was a lot of open shots for us, and we made them.”

Leading the way for St. Monica were four players with nine points each –

Pierre Malone (2-4 FTM, 3PM, 2 Baskets), Micah Williams (2-2 FTM, 3PM, 2 Baskets), London Collins (2-4 FTM, 3PM, 2 Baskets) and Titan Griffith (1-2 FTM, 2-3PM, Basket).

Rodney Mukendi (2-4 FTM, 3 Baskets) and Jaedyn Patterson (3PM, Basket) added 8 and 5 points, respectively for the Mariners.

Highlighting the big second quarter for the Warriors was a 20-point explosion in the last 4:50 as Erami scored eight points, which included a driving layup and spin to start the run. PMA outscored the Mariners, 20-6, to put the game away early.

After the intermission, it was more of the same for the Warriors as they outscored St. Monica, 23-8, which was highlighted by numerous Mariner’s turnovers, forced by the PMA defense.

The Warriors started the quarter with a 15-0 run and reached the 30-point lead on a 3-pointer by Anaya with 4:20 left to lead, 59-29.

Anaya, who drained three long-range baskets in the quarter, also gave them the biggest lead of the game at 34 points (69-35) on a buzzer beater to end the quarter.

“That’s what a team needs is guys that come off the bench and give you a spark and something that we don’t have and (Anaya) gives us that spark and makes him more valuable,” said Archie of his fourth-year player.

Anaya, along with Langford, are the two players who were on the 2023 CIF D3AA Championship team.

With the big lead, the dunks started to highlight the night as 6-10 center Shelia brought the PMA followers to their feet just before Anaya’s buzzer beater.

Langford, who was four for five from the charity stripe in the 23-point Warrior third quarter, knew how important the first league game was.

“For us, we saw it as an opportunity to set the tone as a statement game,” said Langford of the early season league game. “We’ve been undefeated in league and I’m undefeated in all three years (31 wins) and I don’t want that to change.”

Langford was a big part of the 2023 title team and is headed to Harvard next season on a scholarship.

“The sky is the limit for (Langford),” added Archie, of his 6-7 center. “For him to get that scholarship is a big thing and it’s real big for him overall.

The Mariners got into the action with a dunk of their own as Mukendi did the same for the home crowd midway through the final quarter, to trail, 71-43.

With 2:40 left in the game, one of the big highlights was a dunk by Gates that brought the Warriors players to their feet.

“That was my first dunk in a high school game,” beamed the 6-4 Gates.” It was very exciting to get that and pretty glad that it happened.

“I was here last year, and I didn’t get much playing time, but I was learning from that team,” Gates added.

Langford added of Gates’ dunk saying, “I didn’t know he had it in him.”

PMA won two CIF titles in four years in 2020 they defeated Oakwood, 67-58 in D4A beat Oakwood 67-58 and 2023 in division 3AA beat LS, 79-48

Last season PMA lost in the semis in the open division. They beat Mater Dei and JSerra along the way and lost to Roosevelt in the semis to go to the championship game. The Warriors were awarded a state berth but lost in the first round.

“This is probably the most talented team we ever had,” Archie said. “Is it the best, we’ll have to wait and see how things go. This team has a lot of potential to be really good.”

PMA faces Sierra Canyon in a nonleague games Saturday (Nov. 30). The Warriors lost 51-42 last year to the Trailblazers.

Warren, PMA in CIF Football Championships

St. Pius X-St. Matthias(4-9), which finished with a 1-9 overall record, has been on a post-season run in the CIF D8 playoffs with three consecutive wins to the title game on Friday night (Nov. 29).

The Warriors will face Serrano (9-3).

With a top 15 schedule in the state, the Warriors applied for an at-large berth and were successful behind athletic director James Covell and head coach Devah Thomas.

“It shows that we belong,” PMA athletic Director James Covell said. “Why not us.”

Eligibility is based on CIF’s competitive equity, which is formulated in preseason games and their strength of schedule.

Warren, which is also under .500 (6-7) will return to the championship game after finishing as runner up last season.

The Bears will face Rio Hondo Prep (11-1) Friday night (Nov. 29) at home. Game time is slated for 7:00 pm.

PMA opens Del Rey League action with blowout win over St. Monica, 80-55