Green Valley High was considered a middle-of-pack basketball team entering the season. Xavier Jarvis, the Gators’ senior guard, was also a relative unknown ...
The Las Vegas High basketball team started no seniors Tuesday in its Northeast League opener at Green Valley. But their underclassmen weren’t intimidated, continuing to progress ahead of schedule in a 74-59 victory. With three college-recruits in the junior class leading the charge, including four-star prospect Ray Smith on the wing, the Wildcats were hoping to gain enough experience in the regular season to peak during the playoffs. If not, they would be one of the favorites next season.
Elijah Smith poured in 40 points to lead Foothill to an 89-69 victory over Green Valley on Tuesday in the first round of the Sunrise Region tournament.
The Foothill High basketball team’s pressure defense was too much for host Green Valley to handle for parts of the second half Wednesday. The Falcons turned a one-point lead early in the third quarter into a 20-point advantage midway through the fourth primarily because their full-court pressure frequently forced turnovers that lead to easy baskets in a 68-51 victory.
The Green Valley High basketball team couldn’t extend its magical season Thursday in the 4A state semifinals at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno. But they didn’t go down without a fight. The Sunrise Region champion Gators trailed Northern Nevada’s Hug High by 16 points to open the fourth quarter, but chipped away at the deficit and had two shots to win at the buzzer.
It’s a chilly Sunday afternoon and Durrell McDonald, a key to Green Valley High School’s journey to this week’s state basketball tournament, is shooting hoops to stay sharp. But he’s not at the school’s gym with its polished wood floor or at an athletic club, or anywhere indoors suitable for one of the state’s top players.
It’s time to remove the ‘underdog’ label when describing the Green Valley High basketball team. The Gators, after all, are one of four teams still playing in the state’s large-school classification.
The Green Valley High basketball team won this game because of its post players. Forward Devan Kohn scored 34 points and grabbed 17 rebounds Thursday, and center Brandon Hoisington had 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting in leading the Gators to a 72-54 victory against Valley in the Sunrise Regional semifinals at Foothill.
The Green Valley High basketball team nearly squandered a 13-point fourth-quarter lead Wednesday in the Sunrise Regional quarterfinals, but received two clutch free throws from Devan Kohn in hanging on for a 69-66 victory against visiting Las Vegas High.
With less than a minute remaining in Friday’s basketball game, Green Valley High senior guard Durrell McDonald dribbled past the full court press of defenders from visiting Silverado High and found himself in the clear on the fast break. Instead of continuing for what would have been an easy two points, the guard riffled a perfect pass to teammate Devan Kohn near the basket. Kohn easily converted the layup, putting on the final touches in Green Valley’s 71-58 victory.
The Eldorado High basketball team advanced to the Sunrise Regional semifinals with a 74-65 victory Tuesday against visiting Green Valley High. The Sundevils, the No. 2 seed from the Northeast Division, received 16 points apiece from Donovan Wright and Markeith Floyd in reaching the semifinals for the second time in three years. In 2009, they won the Sunrise title before losing in the state semifinals.
While nearly everyone in the Green Valley gym stood and hollered in amazement at the beginning of the fourth quarter Tuesday night, coach Lorenzo Jarvis stayed calm. He had seen this kind of performance before from Keiannte Wilkins, a senior guard. Wilkins scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, including nine in three minutes, as Green Valley came away with a 62-58 victory over Silverado.
In a tale of two halves, the Silverado boys basketball team rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Green Valley 73-62 Tuesday. The Gators came out of the gates quickly as they made four three-point field goals in the opening quarter to take an 18-8 lead.
If Green Valley could describe its goals for this season in three words, it might be “playoffs or bust.” The Gators want to move on from a disappointing 7-19 campaign last year and compete with the best in the Southeast division.