Josh Czerski takes over as Mervo boys basketball coach

Weeks after stepping down at Loyola Blakefield, Czerski finds a fit with the Mustangs

Josh Czerski, who recently stepped down as a head coach at Loyola Blakefield and led Parkville to the 2023 Class 4A boys basketball state championship, is the new head coach of the Mervo boys basketball team in Baltimore City. / Derek Toney

After stepping down as Loyola Blakefield basketball coach last month, Josh Czerski said he wanted to spend time with his son, but left the door open for a return to the sidelines if the right opportunity arose.

Czerski will be coaching this coming season as the new boys basketball coach at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical. 

“I was home for a week and after evaluating what I wanted to do I realized that my mission is to impact lives through the game of basketball,” Czerski said.

Czerski is excited that his son Daniel, who was often by his side at practices and games at Loyola and Parkville, will continue at Mervo. Czerski replaces interim coach Kevin Simpson, who took over in January after first-year coach Dietrich Williams died from a heart attack. The Mustangs reached the Maryland Class 4A state quarterfinals.

Czerski said Devon Gibbs, a former assistant at Parkville and current Mervo boys lacrosse coach, told Czerski about the opening and, “he thought it would be a good fit.”

Czerski met with Mervo principal Dr. Jermaine Skinner and athletic director Patrick Nixon. 

“He (Nixon) has a shared vision on how he wants the basketball program ran and really wants to compete at the highest level.” said Czerski.

Czerski spent the past two seasons at Loyola Blakefield, going 38-32. The Dons, who reached the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) A Conference and Baltimore Catholic League Tournament quarterfinals, finished No. 22 in the final High School on SI Maryland Top 25. 

Before Loyola, Czerski spent six seasons at Parkville where he went 116-33 and won the Maryland Class 4A state championship in 2023. He spent one season as an assistant at John Carroll School, and three as an assistant at his alma-mater Penn State University-York.

Czerski takes over a Mervo program that dedicated its 2024-25 season to Williams, who was a longtime assistant on the varsity and junior varsity before becoming varsity coach last season. The Mustangs lost to eventual state champion Laurel in the 4A Elite Eight. 

Mervo last reached the state semifinals in 2007 (3A). Czerski said he will meet with his new team Wednesday afternoon.

Nixon, who has turned the Baltimore City school into a state football power with two Class 4A/3A state titles over the last four seasons, thinks he has the right person to move the basketball forward with Czerski.

“He’s very, very excited and we’re equally excited to have him,” Nixon said to the Baltimore Sun. “He brings experience and proven success. You don’t normally have a state championship coach available and looking for an opportunity. So once we were presented the chance to hire him, we jumped at the opportunity.”