One of the more significant player movement stories to emerge before last week’s Section 7 Team Tournament involved talented 6-foot-1 rising junior guard Pierce Harrington, who announced his decision to transfer from Scottsdale Saguaro High School to St. Mary’s High School. Like fellow transfer and nationally regarded prospect Martray Bagley, Harrington made his decision just days before the start of the Section 7 event, immediately becoming another major addition to a St. Mary’s program that is already loaded with perimeter talent.
The move comes during an uncertain period for the Knights' program, after longtime successful Head Coach Damin Lopez recently announced his resignation, creating one of the most coveted coaching vacancies in Arizona high school basketball. While the coaching situation leaves questions regarding the future direction of the program, all indications are that Harrington plans to remain at St. Mary’s and play his junior season with the Knights.
Harrington arrives after a strong sophomore campaign at Saguaro High School under terrific Head Coach Lucas Ramirez, where he established himself as one of the top guard prospects in Arizona’s 2028 class. His ability to score the basketball in a variety of ways quickly attracted attention throughout the state, and his performance at Section 7 only strengthened his reputation. Playing in his first event with St. Mary’s, Harrington immediately stepped into a prominent role and delivered an impressive performance against elite competition. His most notable outing came when he erupted for 34 points in one of the tournament’s showcase contests, displaying the scoring ability that has made him one of Arizona’s most exciting young guards.
A dynamic offensive player, Harrington possesses the ability to play either guard position. He is an explosive scorer with a natural feel for creating offense and has consistently demonstrated a knack for putting points on the board. His ability to attack the basket, create off the dribble, and score from multiple levels makes him a difficult matchup for opposing defenders. As his game continues to develop, the next step for Harrington will be expanding his role as a floor general. Learning to consistently run a team, facilitate offense, and elevate the play of those around him will be important, as he continues his development. Fortunately, he will have no shortage of talented teammates to play alongside at St. Mary’s.
The Knights now feature one of the most explosive collections of perimeter talent in Arizona with Harrington joining nationally regarded prospects 6-foot-4 rising senior guard Mick Riordan, 6-foot-6 rising junior Martray Bagley and 6-foot-4 rising junior Carter Bagley. The combination of those (4) players gives St. Mary’s an abundance of scoring, playmaking, and versatility on the perimeter.
The challenge moving forward will be for the group to learn how to complement one another’s strengths and maximize their collective talent. If they are able to develop chemistry and share responsibilities effectively, St. Mary’s could become one of the most dangerous offensive teams in Arizona next season. While the Knights currently lack significant frontcourt size, compared to some of the state’s other elite programs, there is little question they possess as much perimeter firepower as anyone in Arizona. Their guard play alone will make them a difficult matchup on any given night.
The coaching search at St. Mary’s will undoubtedly play a major role in shaping the program’s future, and it remains one of the biggest storylines in Arizona high school basketball heading into next season. Regardless of who ultimately takes over the program, the addition of Pierce Harrington gives the Knights another high-level talent capable of impacting games immediately.
I will continue to follow both Harrington’s development and the St. Mary’s coaching search closely, as one of Arizona’s premier basketball programs enters a pivotal offseason.
