Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

high school basketball:

Coronado, fueled by strong home court edge, drops 100 on rival Liberty

2019 Las Vegas Sun High School Basketball Media Day

Christopher DeVargas

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.

There were about three minutes remaining in the game when Coronado High’s Felix Reeves found himself open near the Liberty basket in transition. He jumped to catch a pass midair, finishing with an emphatic dunk.

Coronado, which led by double-digits for most of the game, was putting the finishing touches on a 100-86 victory against its neighborhood rivals. Refreshingly, the atmosphere was unlike most in the Las Vegas area, which frequently features half-empty gyms on game day.

Almost instantly the hip-hop music played by the in-house DJ — yes, this game featured live music — seemed to get more intense. So did the Coronado student section, affectionately called the “Boom Squad” and filling one section of bleachers from top to bottom.

“It’s not only like this at home,” Coronado coach Jeff Kaufman proudly says of the students. “They travel with us. You have to give the kids credit. They have fun.”

Once the game ended, there was a traffic jam exiting the parking lot at the school in the Anthem area of Henderson. Many traveled to support Liberty, a school a few miles away across St. Rose Parkway. They are rivals in every sport.

In basketball, though, it is slightly more heated. That, of course, is helped by each team being a state championship contender, and each being led by arguably the best player in that program’s history.

Coronado junior Jaden Hardy, a top-10 recruit nationally for the class of 2021, got the best of 2020 four-star recruit Julian Strawther. Hardy went for 26 points and likely double-digit assists. Strawther, who battled first-half foul trouble, still had 29 points — although he had just five in the first half when Coronado’s lead grew to more than 20.

The schools will play again in a few weeks at Liberty. And maybe again in the regional tournament. One team is surely feeling more confident.

“We wanted to come out and play really hard and play really physical,” Hardy said. “They have Julian Strawther. He’s a really good player. For us to slow him down, execute and get up early, that was huge.”

Hardy is usually the best player on the court. But the Cougars, like in Hardy’s initial two seasons, won’t win state unless they get contributions from other players.

That’s where 22 points and strong defense from Tyrelle Hunt, and double-digit points from Reeves, Jaxon Kohler and Angelo Kambala make a difference.

“We just have to keep pushing from where we are tonight,” Kaufman said.

Liberty received 17 from Kobe Stroughter and 15 from sophomore Joshua Jefferson.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21