The hometown boy from Camarillo, Jaime Jaquez Jr., returned to the high school gym where he spent countless hours sweating, diving for loose balls and dunking. It was a much-beloved homecoming Tuesday night in front of a community that always appreciated his loyalty and dedication.

“We get to etch his name in history,” Camarillo coach Brendan Garrett said

The ceremony involved retiring his jersey No. 24 as pyrotechnics went off in the gym. There also was a banner unveiled and future Scorpions will be able to see a display in the gym foyer and have someone to serve as a standard for excellence, having gone from Camarillo to UCLA to the Miami Heat.

“I love this community,” Jaquez said. “Everybody here believed in what I could do.”

The timing could not have been more perfect, with Jaquez in town to play the Clippers on Monday and the Lakers on Wednesday. And Camarillo’s basketball team is having its own dream season, improving to 20-1 after defeating Simi Valley 50-41 in a league game.

In 2018, members of this year’s Camarillo basketball team took a photo with Jaime Jaquez Jr. They are Shane Frank, left, Brendan Widerburg, Josh Castaniero, Evan Dela Paz and Jackson Yeates.

(Ross Widerburg)

Jaquez remembered taking a photo in 2018 with seniors on this year’s Camarillo team.

“It’s well deserved,” Garrett said of jersey retirement. “He’s a home-grown kid who could have gone anywhere and stayed.”

Jaquez has continued to support the Scorpions with clothing donations to players and Camarillo workers. The family remains Camarillo residents. His sister, Gabby, plays for UCLA’s No. 1-ranked women’s team. Brother Marco is attending junior college. He has a cousin in the basketball program.

Several of his Miami Heat teammates made the trip to the Camarillo gym.