Preps: Rana Brown finds a home after coast-to-coast odyssey

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Feb. 4, 1999 | 11:55 a.m.

Continuity has never been a big part of Rana Brown's high school experience.

After spending her early years moving from state to state, depending where her father's business interests took her family, Brown spent her freshman year in Charlotte, N.C.

No sooner did she start feeling comfortable with her new surroundings, however, than it was time to hit the road again. This time it was Las Vegas, where she enrolled at Durango.

At first semester's end, Brown's family moved across town, where Rana finished her sophomore year at Cheyenne. The trend continued the following year, when Brown spent her junior year at Bonanza, before culminating this year at Basic -- her fifth high school in four years.

That's not an easy route for any student to take. For a basketball player of Brown's caliber, it's nearly impossible.

New teammates. New coaches. New opponents. With each move, it can be like learning the sport all over again.

"It's been hard," the senior admitted. "Having to start over again every year has really taken its toll.

But for Brown, persistence and patience have paid off. Now the starting point guard for Basic -- one of the area's top girls squads -- she has a chance to finish her long, winding story with a very happy ending.

Under longtime Wolves coach Jan Van Tuyl, Brown is flourishing in an offensive system that gives her the freedom to make the most of the offensive decisions -- a luxury she rarely has had during her high school career.

"There are a lot of coaches who have 25 plays they run, but here we have some basics and we can do whatever we want off of that," Brown said. "It's a really different program here. I've never had somebody like Van Tuyl coach me."

So far, Van Tuyl's confidence in Brown has paid off. She's among the area's statistical leaders in points (more than 14 per game) and assists (better than four per game).

Most importantly, the Wolves are 15-5 overall and 9-4 in the Sunrise Division. Barring injuries, they're a virtual lock to make their sixth straight trip to the playoffs.

"Rana was at kind of a disadvantage coming into a program where the kids have played together so long," Van Tuyl said. "But she's done a good job making adjustments. We wouldn't be where we are without her."

Of course, being in the same backcourt with sophomore Jen Kline -- one of Southern Nevada's rising stars -- has only helped Brown adjust to her new role. Both Basic guards can score points in the paint or from the perimeter, creating a tough assignment for opposing defenses.

"I've never played with someone with (Kline's) skill," Brown said. "The first half of the season, teams were playing box-and-ones on Kline, and that opened things up for me. Now, teams are worrying about me more, so I can get the ball back to Kline."

While Kline has two more seasons to try to take Basic to the top, Brown knows her time is running out. Although a college scholarship is certainly a possibility (UNLV coach Regina Miller reportedly is interested), Brown has her sights set on a perfect ending to a long, strange, prep career.

"My main goal is to make it to Reno," Brown said. "We're pretty focused as far as what we want."

And regardless of how everything works out, one thing is certain. Brown has finally found a place that feels like home.

"I feel comfortable here," Brown said. "I feel like I could come back here after I graduate and feel like it's my school."