MACON – After 68 years of existence, St. Pius X Catholic High School can now add a boys state basketball title to its impressive sports pedigree, earning the Golden Lions a 74th overall sport state championship. 
Harris Reynolds had 23 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks to lead PiHi to a 54-51 victory over Pace Academy, with fellow senior Westin Keppen hitting a crucial three-pointer late in the game. Senior D'Marley Elliott, the program's all-time leading rebounder, grabbed 12 more to finish his career with 812. 

Keppen, who had missed his previous two 3-point attempts, nailed the shot when the team needed it most, giving the Golden Lions a 52-49 lead with 41.2 seconds left. Pace cut the lead to one point with two free throws, before Harris Reynolds restored the three-point advantage, then grabbed the rebound as the Knights missed their final attempt to secure victory for SPX.
“That was a dagger, for sure," Keppen said after arriving back on campus in Atlanta, where the band, cheerleaders, parents and fans welcomed the team with a traditional “Ringing of the Bells”, led by school chaplain Father Robbie Cotta. 

While the PiHi girls basketball team had won five state titles, this was the first for the boys side, who had reached the title game on three previous occasions (1992 under Mark Kelly, and 2017 and 2018 under Aaron Parr). 
The St. Pius X crowd, who by all accounts brought the most fans of any school to the semifinals in Athens, once again dominated the Macon Coliseum, cheering loudly for the entire game. 

Before this historic season tipped off, Harris Reynolds announced his commitment to play at Clemson next season, while fellow senior D'Marley Elliott is going to play at Columbus State University. 

St. Pius X alumni from every era were seen inside Macon Coliseum that night, with legendary athletic director Mark Kelly, for whom the Golden Lions' gym is named, embracing current AD Joe McCurdy and former boys basketball head coach Aaron Parr with tears in all eyes. 

Before the GHSA state tournament began, Harris Reynolds was named Region 5-4A Player of the Year, while Will Cloyd, in just his second year as head basketball coach, won Region Coach of the Year. All five starters for the Golden Lions were named to either first, second or honorable mention region teams.