Players of the Bishop Gorman High basketball team, from left Zaon Collins, Noah Taitz, Mwani Wilkinson, Will McClendon and Braden Lamar, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun’s High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Oct. 28, 2019.
Friday, Nov. 29, 2019 | 2 a.m.
Prep Sports Now
Starring Coach Kaufman and Coach Rice
The coaches of the top two high school basketball teams in the valley, Grant Rice of Bishop Gorman and Jeff Kaufman of Coronado, join Ray Brewer and Case Keefer to preview the upcoming season.
There’s no surprise atop the Sun’s preseason high school basketball top 10.
Not only is Bishop Gorman the eight-time defending state champions, the Gaels are also ranked No. 17 nationally by USA Today in the preseason. The Gaels have four of the top players in the Las Vegas area, led by junior point guard Zaon Collins, who is ranked as the Class of 2021’s 37th overall recruit by ESPN. The way he defends and manages the game, averaging nearly seven assists per game last season, makes the Gaels nearly impossible to beat.
“When you have Zaon Collins sitting over there at Bishop Gorman, you always have a problem on your hand (to beat them),” said Jeff Kaufman, the coach of Coronado, which comes in at No. 2 in the preseason.
The Gaels also have a four-year starter at shooting guard in Stanford signee Noah Taitz (15 points per game last season), senior post player Mwani Wilkinson (a top-100 recruit picking among LSU, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, USC and UNLV), and standout junior Will McClendon, who averaged 12 points per game and has scholarship offers from the likes of UCLA and Arizona. Senior Braden Lamar, a 6-foot-5 forward, rounds out the starting lineup.
But by no means is Gorman a sure thing — and, no, not because the Gaels football team finally saw its streak of championships end.
Some years, Gorman basketball rolls through the competition. Other years, it is fortunate to be the last team standing.
In 2017, Gorman overcame an eight-point deficit in the final two minutes against Clark in the championship game for a miraculous victory. Clark also has beaten Gorman in the regular season.
Another year, Centennial had a chance to beat Gorman at the buzzer — but the shot rimmed out. Centennial, on multiple occasions, had a fourth-quarter lead in the regular season.
And then there was last season’s Desert Regional semifinals. Coronado, with junior Jaden Hardy leading the way, had Gorman on the ropes in the fourth quarter. But Taitz drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer and Gorman advanced.
“There are solid teams in Las Vegas,” Gorman coach Grant Rice said. “Good players here. It gets better every year.”
It arguably only takes one player getting hot to keep a team in contention. Many teams in the top 10 have that one player capable of taking over, whether that’s No. 3 Desert Pines with guard Milos Uzan, No. 4 Arbor View with UNLV commit Donavan Yap, No. 5 Liberty with Gonzaga signee Julian Strawther, No. 6 Durango with Tone Hunter or No. 7 Silverado with senior Martell Williams, who averaged nearly 30 points per game last season.
Let’s take a look at the city’s best teams:
2. Coronado
Players of the Coronado High basketball team, from left Jaden Hardy, Tyrelle Hunt, Max Howard, Felix Reeves and Nick Walters, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Oct. 28, 2019.
2019 finish: Lost in the regional semifinals
Why the Cougars are a contender: Hardy averaged 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists per game last season. He’s not only one of the best players in Las Vegas, he’s one of the best in the nation, ranking fifth overall for 2021 by ESPN. But the Cougars’ roster is more than just one player. Tyrelle Hunt was an all-state honorable mention pick last year, and the likes of Felix Reeves, Max Howard and Nick Walters combine to give Coronado a quality starting lineup. Add to the mix 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Jaxon Kohler, a move-in from Utah who has scholarship offers from BYU and Texas Tech, and the Cougars are a big-time threat to end Gorman’s championship run. The Cougars, in a true testament to their lineup, are ranked No. 41 nationally by ballislife.com.
3. Desert Pines
Players of the Desert Pines High basketball team, from left Milos Uzan, Cimarron Conriquez, Anthony Swift, Semaj Threats, Roland Gates, and Dayshawn Wiley, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Oct. 28, 2019.
2019 finish: Lost in the state quarterfinals
Why the Jaguars are a contender: Desert Pines’ top four players in Uzan, Anthony Swift, DayShawn Wiley and Cimarron Conriquez combine to give the Jags the most potent roster in the Mountain Region. Uzan, a sophomore point guard, was a third-team all-state pick last season and has scholarship offers from UNLV and TCU. Swift has a scholarship offer from DePaul, Wiley averaged 13.5 points and five rebounds per game last season as a sophomore, and Conriquez averaged 11 points per game. And the Jaguars are built to last — all four players are underclassmen.
4. Arbor View
Players of the Arbor View High basketball team, from left Larry Holmes, Jaylon Lee, Donavan Yap, David Moore and Mikey Medlock, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Oct. 28, 2019.
2019 finish: Lost in the state semifinals
Why the Aggies are a contender: Arbor View has one of the most experienced rosters in the Las Vegas area as all five starters were contributors on last season’s historic team. The Aggies reached the state tournament for the first time in the school’s 15-year history. Yap, a 6-foot-3 guard, averaged 15 points and three rebounds per game, and made 43% of his field goal attempts — a strong number for an outside shooter. Larry Holmes averaged 11 points per game, Jaylon Lee recorded four points and seven rebounds per game, and Mikey Medlock and David Moore averaged about three points apiece. Arbor View and Desert Pines are the clear best teams in the Mountain, meaning a likely showdown for the regional title.
5. Liberty
Players of the Liberty High basketball team, from left Dante Davis and Julian Strawther, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Oct. 28, 2019.
2019 finish: Lost in the regional semifinals
Why the Patriots are a contender: When you have one of the area’s best players, anything is possible. Strawther, a four-year varsity player, was a first-team all-state pick last season in averaging 26 points per game. The Pats’ supporting cast is massively improved, including guards Dante Davis and Kobe Stroughter. Davis brings toughness to the Liberty backcourt; Stroughter is primed to have a breakthrough season at point guard. The Patriots are also strong in the post with sophomore Josh Jefferson, a 6-foot-6 forward, and Moliki Matavao, a four-star recruit at tight end at football.
6. Durango
Players of the Durango High basketball team, from left Kendrick Gilbert, Tone Hunter and Keshon Gilbert, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Oct. 28, 2019.
2019 finish: Missed the playoffs
Why the Trailblazers are a contender: Durango, which only won eight games last season, is led by senior Tone Hunter, who averaged 22 points and four rebounds per game in 2018-19. The Trailblazers are also experienced in the backcourt with Kendrick and Keshon Gilbert. Keshon, a junior, is verbally committed to UNLV. Durango is led by first-year coach Chad Beeten, who moved over from Clark, where he won multiple class 3A state titles and lost in the 2019 large-school championship game.
7. Silverado
Players of the Silverado High basketball team, from left Noah Sherrard, Darnell Fizer Jr., Damion Byrd, Osiris Grady, Daryl Finley and Martell Williams, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Oct. 28, 2019.
2019 finish: Lost in the regional quarterfinals
Why the Skyhawks are a contender: The 6-foot-3 guard Williams has the potential to take over the game against any opponent, entering his senior season with 1,355 career points. Junior Noah Sherrard, who averaged nine points per game last season, and sophomore Damion Byrd, who scored five points per game in 2018-19, lead a group of underclassmen who should keep the Skyhawks in contention for future seasons.
8. Centennial
Players of the Centennial High basketball team, from left Craig Comanche, Austin Anderson and Shane Thomas, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Oct. 28, 2019.
2019 finish: Lost in the regional semifinals
Why the Bulldogs are a contender: If Arbor View is the team to beat in the Northwest League, then Centennial is a close second. The Bulldogs beat Arbor View by 11 points last season. Centennial’s strength is in the backcourt with guards Austin Anderson, Craig Comanche and Shane Thomas.
9. Spring Valley
Players of the Spring Valley High basketball team, from left James Webster, Michael Martin and A'Mari-Sean James, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Oct. 28, 2019.
2019 finish: Lost in the regional quarterfinals
Why the Grizzlies are a contender: If Spring Valley’s outside shots are falling, the Grizzlies will be a tough out come the playoffs. They play an up-tempo style, as witnessed by a game last season against Gorman where the Grizzlies scored 89 points but still lost by double digits. Spring Valley returns three double-digit scorers in James Webster (13 points per game), A’Mari James (11 ppg) and Michael Martin (10).
10. Foothill
Players of the Foothill High basketball team, from left Dimitre Clair, Eli Habighorst, Fisher Welch and Travis Thomas, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Oct. 28, 2019.
2019 finish: Lost in the regional championship game
Why the Falcons are a contender: Foothill seems to always be in contention for the Southeast League title, topping Coronado last season for the crown and reaching the Mountain Region championship game. While they graduated most of the key performers, the cupboard is far from bare. Guard Thomas Fisher-Welch, who averaged nearly seven points per game last season, is the notable returner. Other returns include Dimitre Clair (2.4 ppg in 2018-19) and Eli Habighorst (2.8 ppg).
Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21
