Shaun Dumas hired as boys head basketball coach at McDonogh 35

A championship coach is taking over a program with championship aspirations.

Shaun Dumas has been named the head basketball coach at McDonogh 35.

A graduate of St. Augustine in 2004, Dumas coached Crescent City Christian to five straight state championship games in Division V from 2017-2021, winning three state titles before leaving to open Shaun Dumas Academy in 2021, which played an independent, national schedule for two years.

Shaun Dumas Academy remains open as a post-grad institution only with no high school basketball competition.

“We pivoted from the Academy being a high school,” Dumas said. “It feels good to be back coaching at this level and servicing the kids. McDonogh 35 is an excellent school with very good facilities. The alumni base is rich and the school has to much tradition and heritage. I thought it would be a great idea to come and make an impact on these kids’ lives and try to do something great. That was the biggest thing. We want to build a legacy here.”

Dumas inherits a challenge to build a winner.

McDonogh 35 was just 5-16 a year ago and 4-11 in the 2021-2022 season and 4-10 in the 2020-2021 season. The Roneagles were 2-19 in the 2019-2020 season and 10-15 in the 2018-2019 season. The last winning season was the 2017-2018 season, when McDonogh 35 was 21-16 and reached the Class 3A state semifinals.

Dumas feels the sky is the limit with the Roneagles.

“I’m committed to helping these kids soar,” Dumas said. “I know what we did at Crescent City is possible here. It’s going to get done. We have a lot to build with and to build on. The guys are motivated. We have a really good staff here that is super supportive. The foundation is here. We just have to get them in and teach them the fundamentals, the system and how to work. I feel it. I just know that this is going to be a great move for me and I believe we’ll be in a position to build it to where it needs to be. The biggest thing for me is to get our athletes to compete on a national level. I’m super excited about playing the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic.”

Mitchell Johnson, who served as the head coach of the Roneagles last season, is now an assistant coach at Archbishop Hannan.