Despite being a small school, SJND has a reputation as a basketball state and national powerhouse, having won Six California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Championships, a modern-era record for a Northern California school. Most notably, SJND won two Boys' Division I state titles, despite having a student body less than half the size of virtually all CIF Division I schools, defeating Fremont High School of Los Angeles in 1991 and Mater Dei High School of Santa Ana in 1992. SJND reached the Boys' CIF Division I Finals two more times in 1997 & 1998, losing to Crenshaw High School and Westchester High School, respectively. In 2004, SJND won the Boys' Division IV Championship against Verbum Dei High School of Los Angeles, 49-47. Most recently, SJND won the 2011 Boys' Division V State Championship against St. Bernard High School of Playa Del Rey, in 2014 against Renaissance Academy, and once again against St. Bernard in 2016. SJND also appeared in the 2009 Boys' Division V Finals, losing to Windward High School of Los Angeles, 69-53.