4-star guard DeMarco Johnson transfers to Santa Margarita

Santa Margarita adds high-major 2025 recruit DeMarco Johnson to its backcourt

More talent is coming to the Trinity League.

DeMarco Johnson, a 4-star basketball guard in the class of 2025, told SBLive he's transferring from Southern California Academy to Santa Margarita High.

Santa Margarita coach Justin Bell confirmed the move Friday afternoon.

Johnson is a 6-foot-2 guard with offers to Syracuse, Arizona State, Illinois and Texas. He's currently ranked the 90th 2025 prospect nationally and the 14th point guard in his class, according to 247Sports.com. 

Johnson is expected to move residence, which will make him eligible for varsity participation immediately once the CIF Southern Section clears his move. The athletic point guard will improve the Eagles (2-3) backcourt with Dartmouth-bound senior Cameron McNamee, junior wing Dallas Washington and rising sophomore Brayden Kyman. 

The CIF Blue Book states that student-athletes transferring from academies to membered high schools will be limited to lower-level participation, according to bylaw 207B-3-a. However, Johnson's move into Santa Margarita's public school zone makes him eligible immediately. 

Santa Margarita's three losses are to some of SoCal's top programs in Carlsbad, Windward and La Mirada – the latter two are in the latest SBLive Top 25 basketball rankings.

Top 25 boys basketball CIF Southern Section rankings

The Eagles went 21-9 overall last year and went 5-5 in the Trinity League, finishing in third place. A similar finish this year would be a successful season behind No. 2 St. John Bosco, No. 5 Mater Dei and No. 6 JSerra.

JSerra will move into the top 5 this coming weekend after knocking off No. 3 Eastvale Roosevelt in double-overtime Tuesday night at Redondo Union's Ryse Williams Showcase.

JSerra basketball tops Roosevelt in big, early-season victory