The text came during Priory’s game against Moreau Catholic in late December. Senior Tatiana Reese broke the news to her girls basketball teammates during a break in the action.
Joe Montero, perhaps the most popular teacher on campus, died of a heart attack.
The basketball team was hit hard by the news but carried on. They also played the day of Montero’s memorial service. Priory lost that game but made it back in time to honor their guardian. Montero also worked as a security guard at the school.
The Panthers were severely tested during the early part of the season. There were other deaths that impacted the team. Injuries were mounting along with losses. Yet there was never a chance Priory would disintegrate.
Reese, and Panthers coach Buck Matthews, made sure of that.
As a result, Priory (17-14) plays for the girls CIF state Division IV title against Rolling Hills Prep (30-2) at 10 a.m. Friday.
“A lot of hard work, time and dedication,” Reese said. “We went through a lot of interruptions, distractions. But we stayed strong. We held a lot of team meetings to help maintain a positive mindset.”
Reese, the only senior on the Panthers, nearly had her season derailed. She hurt her ankle in the second quarter of the second game and missed seven games. Priory immediately lost four straight.
Other aches and pains kept threatening the season. Reese was determined not to let anything interfere with the team’s stated goal of reaching the state championship game and winning it.
The Panthers are literally built around Reese, who doesn’t seek the limelight, who prefers to let her actions speak for themselves.
“She’s a quiet leader,” Matthews said. “She doesn’t look for attention. She’s friends with every type of kid. She knows everybody.”
Reese kept trying to talk her way back in the lineup even as her ankle remained tender. She was frustrated she couldn’t play but continued to support her teammates.
“We lost a lot but the team learned how to play without her,” Matthews said. “It helped others develop their own game.”
Once in a while Reese will give her coach “that look.” It’s a look that many elite players have indicating focus, concentration and confidence have aligned.
“I trust her that, when I get that look, I stop calling plays,” Matthews said. “Does she make mistakes? Sure but she moves on and makes the game-winning layup. It’s her resiliency. She could be playing with four fouls and she settles me down with ‘coach, I got this.’ I’ve put a lot on her and she’s worked so hard to stay mentally strong.”
She’s tried to think what it might be like to walk on the court at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento for the first time.
“I don’t know what to expect but I’m excited at the opportunity,” Reese said. “I’m a little nervous and the team is excited about using a real locker room.”
Reese has played at Stanford’s Maples Pavilion, during halftime of a women’s game. She was in the fourth grade and playing with ‘Paye’s Place,’ alongside Mallory North, whose sister Annabelle plays at Priory, Parker Callander, Mia Shenk, Greer Hoyem and Carly McLanahan, among others.
What she mostly remembers is Grace Battles hitting a half-court shot. “She just chucked it up,” Reese said.
Until she joined Paye’s Place, Reese played on boys’ teams. As a fifth-grader she played with the eighth graders and got fair warning from former M-A quarterback Aajon Johnson.
“He said ‘I’m going to run you over,'” Reese said, with a big smile. “I learned a lot from them.”
Reese wasn’t thinking about sports when she decided on attending Priory. As a freshman, Priory finished 4-18.
She took it upon herself to set a good example, showing up at practice early. Then Reese began to notice other teammates showing up early until everybody was showing up early.
The East Palo Alto basketball community is its own neighborhood. Matthews and Tatiana’s mother Suliana grew up in the same neighborhood. Matthews and M-A girls coach Markisha Coleman graduated from Eastside Prep in the same class.
Pinewood senior guard Bri Claros will also be playing her final high school game. She talks about several things in the video attached to this story.