Men’s Basketball Coaching Staff
John Pigatti — Head Coach
Coach Pigatti is in his 19th season as head coach of the Bulldogs and has accumulated a tremendous career coaching record of 523-94 (.848). Last year his team finished 34-3 and were the National Runner-Up. His 2021-22 team won the National Championship while being undefeated (33-0). They are the only team in history to be undefeated and win a national championship on the NJCAA Division II level. Pigatti was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches 2-Year National College Coach-of-the-Year. Pigatti was named to the NJCAA Region IV Hall of Fame in 2023.
Pigatti’s record in the post season is 71-19. 13 of his 87 teams have won regional championships and qualified for the NJCAA Division II National Championship Tournament. He has had three straight National Players-of-the-Year: Damarco Minor (’22), Deshawndre Washington (’21), Courtney Carter (’20). No other college basketball coach has accomplished that feat. He has had three other National Players-of-the-Year: Jemel Jones (2024), Jovan Mooring (2016), and Michael Harris (2013). 42 of Coach Pigatti’s players were selected All Region IV Players, and 15 Region IV Players of the Year. He has had 15 First Team All-Americans and 18 total All Americans during his 18 seasons at SSC.
His Bulldogs are only team in the country that has qualified for the National Tournament 13 times in the last 18 seasons. South Suburban has the most wins in the history of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament. They have placed at the end of the Tournament 11 times, finishing 3rd three of those times. The 2019-20 team qualified for the National Championship Tournament, but due to COVID-19 the tournament was canceled.
Coach Pigatti has set numerous records as a head coach. He is the only coach in college basketball history: NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA; that has had nine 1st Team All-Americans in his first 11 years as a head coach. He has won 13 Region IV Championships. His teams have been ranked #1 in the country on numerous occasions. For the first time in SSC’s history, they appeared in three straight NJCAA Division II National Championships: 2007-’09, 2011-2014 and 2016-2018, 2020-’22. He has had 9 teams finish with 30+ wins in his 18 years as a head coach, also the first time that was been done at SSC. His teams have been ranked in the top ten every season since he has been at South Suburban College.
Coach also knows how to win on his home court, too. He has complied at 288-15 (.95) home record during his 18 seasons at South Suburban College, nine of his teams have gone undefeated at home during the season. He has a current 64 home game winning streak.
More importantly, the sophomores Pigatti recruited sign a scholarship to play at a four-year college or university. 98 players in 18 years have gone on to 4-year institutions. 15 were selected 1st Team All-Americans: Jemel Jones (’24), Nakyel Shelton (’23), Damarco Monor (’22), Deshawndre Washington (’21), Courtney Carter (’20), Rhyss Lewis (‘19), Rasheide Bell (‘17), Jovan Mooring (’16), Lavell Boyd (’15), Antonio Levy (’14), Michael Harris (’13), James Harris (’11), Tremell Adams (’10) Nick Carey (’09), and Kris Harris (’07). He also has had 13 MVP’s of the Regional IV Tournament: Jemel Jones (’24), Damarco Minor (’22), Deshawndre Washington (“21), Courtney Carter (’20), Jordan Matthews (‘18), Rasheide Bell (’17), Jovan Mooring (’16), Antonio Levy (’14), Michael Harris (‘13 & ‘12) Bradley Birton (’09), Larry Swann (’08), and Kris Harris (’07).
Coach Pigatti came to SSC from St. Francis University in Loretto, PA where he was the head assistant men’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator. At St. Francis, Pigatti was an integral part of signing the number one recruiting class in the Northeast Conference. In addition, the 2004-05 season record was the schools’ best in 8 years. During the 2003-04 season, Pigatti helped Kent State to a 22-9 final record, a Mid-American Conference (MAC) Eastern Division championship and a berth in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).
Prior to his one-year stint at Kent State, Pigatti served as an assistant coach at Elmhurst College-IL (1987-89), Creighton University (1989-91), Texas A&M University (1991-92), Western Michigan University (1992-94), Saint Joseph’s College-IN (1994-95), the University of Akron (1995-01), and Chicago State University (2002-03).
During Pigatti’s tenure as an assistant at Akron, the Zips captured the most MAC wins for any team in the league from 1997-01, including a MAC Eastern Division title in 1998. He helped recruit two Mr. Basketball award winners, and Jimmal Ball, who was voted one of the top 15 freshman players in the country by USA today and ESPN. At Creighton University, he helped lead the Blue Jays to back to back 20-win seasons. Creighton also won the MVC title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tourney. He also has been the head coach of the Five Star Basketball Camp, where he instructed several top 100 high school players in the country who now play in the NBA. He has instructed at many basketball camps and clinics around the country and abroad.
A 1985 graduate of the University of Dayton with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Pigatti earned a master’s degree of business administration from Creighton in 1993. He served as President of the National Assistant Basketball Coaches Committee for six years (1996-01).
Pigatti and his wife, Kimberly, have a daughter Ashley Jo, and a son, Andrew John.
Awards, Honors, & Certifications:
Region IV Hall of Fame: 2023
Region IV Coach of the Year: 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2009, 2008, and 2007.
District Coach of the Year: 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2009, 2008, and 2007.
Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year: 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2009, 2008, and 2007.
College Insider’s Jack Bennet Man-of-the-Year: 2017
Member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Antonne Samuels — Assistant Coach
The 2024-25 season will be the fifth for Antonne Samuels as an Assistant coach for the South Suburban men’s basketball team under Coach John Pigatti. The Chicago native while at South Suburban has coached four NJCAA national players of the year, Courtney Carter (20), Deshawndre Washington (21), Damarco Minor (22) and Jemel Jones (24) and was part of the 2021-2022 NJCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship team which made history as the only undefeated team (33-0), to win the championship at the NJCAA Division II level. Coach Samuels also has coached on four Region IV Championship teams.
Samuels came to South Suburban College after coaching at Chicago State University for two seasons 2016-2018 under Coach Tracy Dildy. While at Chicago State, Samuels helped tutor two All-Conference players (WAC) Trevon Palmer (NBA and Currently in the G league) and Fred Sims currently playing overseas.
No stranger to the Chicago area basketball scene, Samuels before coaching at Chicago State University was the Head Coach at Hyde Park Academy. While at Hyde Park 2012-16, Samuels compiled an 87-38 record. Samuels Coached Several all state, all region and all conference players. While at Hyde Park, Samuels won one Sectional Championship, two Regional Championships, and two Conference Championships.
Samuels played at Blue Island Eisenhower High School for Hall of Fame Coach Bob Frasor. While at Eisenhower Samuels garnered All-Conference honors after his senior season. Samuels then went on to play for Moraine Valley Community College for Hall of Fame Coach Bill Finn. While at Moraine Valley Samuels was named All-Conference and broke the Assist record at the school after his Sophomore season. After Moraine Valley, Samuels finished his playing career at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Samuels earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He currently resides in the Chicago area and has one daughter Aaliyah Samuels.
Von Dukes — Assistant Coach
Coach Dukes is in his first season as an assistant coach for the Bulldogs this season after six seasons as a manager and a graduate assistant for UIC. During his tenure as a graduate assistant, Dukes was responsible for film breakdown, on-court development, and assisting daily operations of a Division I program.
Coach Dukes served a summer stint with Southern Utah University as a special assistant to the head coach under coach Todd Simons. He was primarily responsible for on-court development, assisting daily operations, and film breakdown before returning to UIC.
A 2022 graduate of the University Of Illinois at Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in economics, Dukes received a master’s degree in education from UIC in 2024.
Roy Humphrey — Assistant Coach
Bio and photo coming soon.