Mike D’Itria arrived at the Pioneer Charter School of Science (Everett) in 2023 with impressive credentials in high school boys basketball. He had been a highly acclaimed assistant coach in the St. Mary’s High School (Lynn) program that produced league and state titles during his tenure.
D’Itria is using those years of valuable coaching experience to build an emerging powerhouse at PCSS, an institution known widely for its academic excellence and sending its students on to the most prestigious colleges in the nation.
D’Itria is in Year 3 as the Panthers’ prized mentor, and the 2025-26 contingent has developed into a title contender in the Mass. Charter School League and the MIAA (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association).
Pioneer carries a 9-2 record into the second half of its season, just one victory from qualifying for the MIAA Tournament, the No. 1 goal for all teams statewide.
The Panthers, who were 6-14 and 8-12 the past two seasons, are led by a dedicated group of seniors, who have worked hard in the off-season to improve their basketball skills.
“Just getting the younger players to make a commitment to the program has been a key to our ascension,” said D’Itria. “Basically, the players who were sophomores in my first year as coach are seniors now, and they’ve really bought in to our philosophy big time. They’ve been putting in a lot of work in the off-season, and they’ve been playing together in AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) and summer and fall leagues. They’ve built a good chemistry. My current sophomore class is continuing on that path of hard work and dedication.”
Seniors Marcus Tayag, Ben Estelien, Avi Lanzo, Marvin Jones, and Darnell Deus are the Big Five in the Class of 2026.
Tayag is a dynamic ballhandler and exceptional outside shooter who can consistently “drain the three (pointer),” according to Coach D’Itria. Tayag’s confident leadership helped the Pioneers offset a tough challenge from an upset-minded Collegiate Charter School of Lowell team last Thursday, winning, 54-36, in Everett.
Estelian has been a force on the boards and is the team’s Dominique Wilkins-standard for exciting plays. “Ben has a couple of dunks this season, including one in our big win over Mystic Valley,” said D’Itria.
Lanzo has been a very dependable contributor and solid defender for the Panthers. Jones routinely covers the opposing team’s best offensive player. Sophomore Darnell Deus has also played well in the starting lineup.
A freshman phenom
While the senior class has set the example with its positive energy and leadership, Pioneer also has one of the most talented freshman players in the area in Zach Georges.
Georges put on a show in the Panthers’ victory over Collegiate Charter of Lowell. The 5-foot-7-inch point guard took over the game with three 3-pointers, two dazzling drives, and six assists. Georges is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 18 points to join teammates Tayag and Estelien, (who each average 12 points) in the double-figure PPG category. Georges is unquestionably a “player to watch” in the future.
“Zach has been a big reason in the turnaround of our program – he’s made a huge impact,” lauded D’Itria.
Assistant coaching staff
Mike D’Itria is being assisted on the PCSS bench by coaches Marcus Brunson, Calvin Boudreau, and Anthony D’Itria.
Brunson excelled as a player in the Revere High basketball program and his deep knowledge of the game has been an asset to the Pioneers’ program. Boudreau is among Revere’s High all-time athletes, notably as the Patriots’ starting quarterback who played at Curry College and in the semi-professional East Coast Football League.
Anthony D’Itria, son of the PCSS head basketball coach, was a fabulous ballhandler and prolific three-point shooter for a state champion St. Mary’s team and currently plays college basketball at Salem State. His sister, Nicolette D’Itria, also played college basketball at Salem State after helping St. Mary’s claim a pair of state titles.
Nicolette is an assistant girls basketball coach at Arlington Catholic High School.
The road ahead
Pioneer is currently second in the Mass. Charter School League North standings behind Prospect Hill of Cambridge and in the upper echelon in MIAA Division 5.
“I was happy with the fact that our game (a 58-49 final) against Prospect Hill was very competitive,” said D’Itria. “It showed that we can play with the best teams in our division, and we’d love to make a deep run in the state tournament.”