Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

high school basketball:

Bittersweet: Centennial basketball coach moving ahead of what could have been championship season

Desert Pines Takes on Centennial

L.E. Baskow

Centennial head coach Todd Allen signals to his bench while facing Desert Pines during their high school boy’s basketball game on Tuesday, December 1, 2015.

As word started to spread that Todd Allen was stepping down as the Centennial High School basketball coach to move to the Chicago area, many friends called with the same question: Don’t you want to stay one more season to coach Troy Brown Jr.?

Brown, a rising senior, is one of the nation’s top players. With him leading the way, Centennial is considered a favorite to compete for a state championship.

“You are like the 100th person who has asked me that,” Allen told the Sun about not coaching Brown, a five-star recruit, in his senior season. “But I’m a family man, and this is a family decision.”

Allen, who informed players this week he was moving, grew Centennial into one of the state’s top programs.

It has battled five-time defending state champion Bishop Gorman basket-for-basket over the years, taking leads into the fourth quarter on multiple occasions before narrowly losing. In last season’s Sunset Regional championship game, Centennial led in the fourth quarter before Gorman rallied. Brown missed a shot at the buzzer that would have won the game.

In 2013, twins Malcolm and Marcus Allen (no relation to coach Allen) helped Centennial reach the state championship game. However, they couldn’t dethrone Gorman.

“I’m so proud of what we built,” Allen said. “We had some great kids. I worked with some great coaches and had tremendous support from the administration.”

Allen posted a 132-39 record in six seasons. In addition to Brown, Centennial returns guard Isaiah Banks and post player Darian Scott — two players with scholarship offers — to give it the talent and experience to again compete with Gorman. Allen said no replacement has been named.

“This is bittersweet. It’s tough. We have some great kids here,” Allen said. “It’s been fun; a lot of good memories.”

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

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