Basketball Coach DeBusk Calls It A Career, Retires

Jerry DeBusk, who has coached the boys' basketball team for 20 years, told his players on Saturday that this is his last season.

The Eagles won two state titles under DeBusk's hand, in 1998 and in 2008, as well as five CIF-Southern Section championships and seven league titles.

"I feel truly blessed to have been the head coach of the Eagles," DeBusk said. "It has been a wonderful ride."

Through Saturday, his record at SMCHS is 463-133. Prior to taking over the reins at Santa Margarita in 1992, DeBusk coached Chapman University and Newport Harbor High. His overall record is 636-252.

This season, Santa Margarita is 13-11 overall, 1-6 in the Trinity League, which includes such powers as Mater Dei, Orange Lutheran and JSerra—all ranked in the Orange County top 10—and Bellflower St. John Bosco. Despite the record, Santa Margarita is ranked No. 4 in the Southern Section Division 3A poll, two spots behind Bosco.

“I have been very fortunate to work with one of the best basketball coaches in the state,” said Richard Schaaf, the school's athletic director. “It will be a tough act to follow.”

Principal Ray Dunne praised DeBusk for his leadership and service.

“For 20 years Coach DeBusk has run an excellent basketball program at SMCHS,” Dunne said. “He has imparted his knowledge of and love for the game to hundreds of players. On behalf of the entire SMCHS community I thank him for not only being a tremendously successful coach, but a wonderful mentor and role model for his players by being a man of impeccable character.”

Although he is retiring his clipboard, the school said DeBusk will remain a teacher at Santa Margarita assisting students with various learning needs through the school's Auxilliary Studies Program.