The first San Pedro Prep Sports signing day ceremony for the 2018-2019 school year almost comes as no surprise.

It is also the first basketball-oriented on-campus signing day in five years, and also just the third on-campus signing day ceremony on the Taper Avenue campus of Mary Star Of The Sea High School.

Boys basketball senior 6'4'' guard Joseph Octave, who has been the face of the Stars' program the last three years, signed his national letter of intent to play Division 1 basketball at the Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After one visit to the campus, Octave immediately loved it and verbally committed almost instantly on November 2. On Tuesday, he made it official to become a Falcon.

In his three-plus years with the program, Octave has scored 2,070 points (27 of which coming in the 2018-2019 season opening 62-48 win over Yeshiva University of Los Angeles last Thursday), and has garnered a bevy of postseason honors.

Two-Time All-CIF Southern Section Selection.

Two-Time Cal-Hi Sports All-State First Team Selection.

2018 Max Preps All-State Selection.

Two-Time Daily Breeze All-Area (South Bay) Selection.

2018 Santa Fe League Most Valuable Player.

Three-Time San Pedro News Pilot Prep Boys Basketball Player Of The Year.

Octave's most memorable performance to this day, occurred during his sophomore season against Pacific of San Bernardino in the 2017 CIF-SS Division 4-A quarterfinals in which he scored 40 points, hitting clutch shot after clutch shot in the form of a driving layup with 8 seconds left in regulation, a three-pointer with seven ticks remaining in the second overtime, and a rebound putback hoop with 2.1 seconds left for the Stars to win 103-102 in triple overtime.

In the last two years under current head coach Mike Sestich, the Stars have won 45 games, won a share of the 2018 Santa Fe League championship and have reached the CIF-SS Division 4-A quarterfinals twice, and the semifinals in 2017.

Last year, Octave averaged 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.7 steals for Mary Star, who went 24-6 in the 2017-2018 season, including winning the Milken Tournament championship.