Gorman takes on Durango in Sunset showdown

James Yodice

Friday, Jan. 17, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

In the big picture, Durango High School has what Bishop Gorman wants, claim to Nevada's boys basketball throne.

If Gorman would like the title and accompanying hardware for itself, then the Gaels would be duly advised to focus on smaller pictures, like Saturday night's matchup with the visiting Trailblazers.

The Sunset Division's first real impact showdown of the 1996-97 season will tip off at 7 p.m. at Gorman, which is tied with Cheyenne atop the league at 2-0. Durango lurks at 1-1, as does Clark, Cimarron and Western.

"Gigantic game," Durango coach Al La Rocque says. "We have quite a rivalry."

Gorman (13-5 overall) can open up a two-game lead over Durango, which has two transfers from Gorman, thus adding to the flavor of the meeting. After an 8-0 start, Durango is 10-6.

Durango guard Steve Simister's ankle injury is limiting the 5-foot-10 junior's effectiveness. The Trailblazers' post, 6-5 Tyler Kidd, has a herniated back disc.

Before the disc acted up, Kidd was averaging double figures in points and rebounds, but his rebounding has dropped to about three per game.

What does all this mean to Gorman coach Jeff Wagonseller? Well, not much. The Gaels still must contend with 5-10 senior Thomas McTyer, Durango's leading scorer.

"I don't know if they have a weakness," Wagonseller says.

Gorman certainly is the more healthy of the two, and the Gaels may be looking to exploit Durango's backcourt Saturday.

Senior guard Kendall Soares is Gorman's leading scorer and rebounder and, Wagonseller says, "maybe the strongest kid in the conference." Shane Christensen, a 6-1 senior, runs the floor, and junior Mo Terry adds experience and shooting depth.

Like La Rocque, Wagonseller doesn't want his club to forget there are games to be played tonight before Saturday's tip off. Gorman visits Clark and Durango goes to Bonanza, both at 7 p.m.

"We haven't said a word to our kids about Durango," said Wagonseller.

The coaches don't need to say a word to the rest of the schools' respective student bodies, either, because every ticket for Saturday's game has been bought.

Because Tuesday was a testing day, everyone has back-to-back games this weekend. Tonight on the boys side, Eldorado is at Valley, Vo-Tech is at Basic, Green Valley is at Las Vegas in an important Sunrise Division game, Chaparral heads to Rancho, Western plays at Silverado and Cheyenne is at Cimarron. All but the Vo-Tech-Basic game (6:30 p.m.) begin at 7.

Tonight's top girls game is the Clark-at-Gorman offering. Both are 2-0 in the Sunset Division. Also, Basic is at Vo-Tech, Valley is at Eldorado, Las Vegas is at Green Valley, Rancho is at Chaparral, Bonanza is at Durango, Silverado is at Western and Cimarron is at Cheyenne.

In other boys action Saturday, Vo-Tech is at Eldorado, Rancho is at Las Vegas, Chaparral is at Green Valley, Basic is at Valley, Clark is at Bonanza, Western is at Cheyenne and Silverado is at Cimarron. All start at 7 p.m.

For the girls, it's Eldorado at Vo-Tech, Las Vegas at Rancho, Green Valley at Chaparral, Valley at Basic, Bonanza at Clark, Cheyenne at Western, Cimarron at Silverado and Durango at Gorman. The Durango-Gorman girls precede the boys at 5:15 p.m.; the others start at 7.

KLAV (1350-AM) will broadcast the Gorman-Clark boys game tonight at 7.