Cardinal Ritter Promotes Steven Lopez to Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach

Cardinal Ritter didn't need to look far for its next boys basketball head coach. Steven Lopez, who spent two seasons as an assistant on the Raiders' staff, was promoted to the top job and introduced at the school's postseason banquet on March 16.

Derrick Williams had informed the Ritter administration in January that he planned to resign at season's end, giving the program several weeks to settle on a successor before the official announcement. Williams finished his four-year tenure with a 52-47 record, and his final season ended with a 57-51 loss to Triton Central in the Class 2A regional at Greenfield-Central. The Raiders finished 14-13 overall.

"Cardinal Ritter appreciates everything that coach Derrick Williams has done for the Cardinal Ritter community and Cardinal Ritter high school basketball program," athletic director Levar Johnson said.

Lopez brings nine years of coaching experience to the role, including a previous head-coaching stint at Somerset Academy Silver Palms in Florida. A native of Miami, he had been part of the Ritter staff alongside assistants Curt Reigelsperger, Andre' Cooley, Christian Ford, and Kobe Caldwell before stepping into the lead role.

The program he inherits has some real momentum. Despite the losing record on paper, this year's squad won the sectional title, Ritter's first in 17 years. The Raiders also advanced to the City Tournament semifinals before falling to Cathedral 67-54. Junior Devin Bolden carried much of the offensive load, averaging 20.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocked shots per game on his way to being named City Player of the Year. Bolden returns for his senior season, giving Lopez an established centerpiece to build around immediately.

Williams' decision to notify the administration in January, rather than waiting until the season ended, gave the school time to conduct its transition cleanly and avoid the uncertainty that often follows a late coaching departure. The internal promotion of Lopez suggests Ritter saw enough in two seasons of working alongside him to skip an extended search entirely. With Bolden back and a sectional title fresh in the program's memory, Lopez steps into a situation with more upside than the 14-13 record suggests.