Segerstrom girls basketball coach Shonyta Pouncey ‘taught life lessons’ to players

Shonyta Pouncey during last spring’s Santa Ana Prep Basketball Showcase when he was the coach of one of the teams. (PHOTO: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone).

Jaguars mourn his death following battle with brain cancer.

Highly popular and successful Segerstrom High School girls varsity basketball coach Shonyta Pouncey died last month after a battle with brain cancer, Nick Canzone, the school’s athletic director said Tuesday.

Pouncey, 51, died on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Services were held a couple weeks later.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of girls basketball coach Shonyta Pouncey, after a year-long battle with brain cancer,” Canzone said.

In four years, Pouncey led Segerstrom to three league championships and four CIF playoff appearances. Segerstrom was 21-8 overall and 5-3 in league play last season.

 “More importantly, he was a man of integrity who built strong relationships with students and their families,” Canzone said. “He was always looking to improve as a coach and a person, and taught life lessons and provided experiences for our students that they will carry with them through life.

“Those of you who knew him, know the positive energy and collaborative nature he brought every day. He loved working at Segerstrom High School, and his presence will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with the Pouncey family during this difficult time.”

In the Santa Ana Prep Classic on Friday, March 22, the away team which Pouncey coached, defeated the home team. An enthusiastic Pouncey coached some of his Segerstrom players.

“I’m just very blessed to be the coach at Segerstrom,” he told OC Sports Zone after the game. “It was very nice for them to go out in the last one and we got all of the girls over 22 minutes each. We just wanted to make sure for them and their families they had all the same (time) or at least 20 (minutes each).”

“Blessed” was a word Pouncey often used, like after a win 2023 when Segerstrom defeated Godinez to earn a share of the league title.

“This is only my second year but the tradition of girls basketball at this school has been very high,” he said after the game. “There were some great coaches here before me and I’m blessed to have this job. These girls are relentless, I wouldn’t want to coach another team. They work hard and they are very, very sound players.”

Pouncey is survived by his wife, Danielle; his four children, Gage, Tyler, Joseph and Kaleila; his mother Patricia, and his brother Lajuan.  

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com