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.
Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 | 9:49 p.m.
In the practices leading up to the state basketball tournament, Bishop Gorman High players and coaches sensed they were in top form. Or, as senior guard Noah Taitz explains, “lasered.”
“We were locked in all week,” Taitz said. “We called it ‘lasered.’ All week, we were lasered and ready to play.”
That could be an understatement.
Gorman, the eight-time defending state champions, led by double digits less than two minutes into their state semifinal game Thursday against Reno’s Spanish Springs at Lawlor Events Center. By halftime, the lead was 39 points, as Gorman forced 20 first-half turnovers and limited the opposition to just seven points.
Both teams emptied their bench in the second half as Gorman polished off a 67-17 victory in advancing to Friday’s state championship game to face Desert Pines. Gorman is undefeated in 12 championship games with Grant Rice as coach.
Zaon Collins had 11 points and six rebounds, Mwani Wilkinson had 10 points and seven steals, and Will McClendon had seven points and five assists. Taitz, who will be playing for his fourth state title, had nine points.
“We’ve been getting better all season, so now we are playing our best,” Taitz said.
Gorman’s regulars each briefly played in the second half before Gorman emptied its bench. All 16 players on the roster got into the game, same for Spanish Springs.
“It was nice to get those guys some playing time. They’ve earned it in practice,” Rice said.
Since 2012, a Las Vegas team has only been beaten twice by a Northern Nevada school. Gorman wasn’t going to be one of those rare exceptions.
Beating Desert Pines won’t be as easy. The Jaguars have many elite players, especially at point guard with sophomore Milos Uzan, who has scholarship offers from the likes of UCLA.
“They do a really good job,” Rice said of Desert Pines. “They are athletic. They are well-rounded. They don’t have many weaknesses. It’s going to be a good challenge for us.”
Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21
