Friday, Dec. 5, 2003 | 10:33 a.m.
Ten questions about the 2003-04 boys' basketball season:
1) It has been 10 months since I thought of basketball. Remind me: What happened last year?
Cheyenne dominated the state, cruising to a 31-1 record and the state title. Lorrenzo Wade and Chris Fuller shined in the playoffs for the Desert Shields, whose only loss came to national power Oak Hill Academy (Va.)
Palo Verde emerged from essentially nowhere to make it to the state title game, while Durango missed out on that spot by just a couple of points against the Panthers. Perennial favorites Bishop Gorman and Green Valley both suffered stunning losses in the regional playoffs and did not earn spots in Reno.
Valley and Rancho surprised many to qualify for state, and the Rams gave Cheyenne one of its toughest games of the season in the state semifinals.
2) Any major changes this season to be aware of?
The biggest change in prep basketball this year is actually in scheduling. Boys and girls will play at the same gym on the same night, meaning there will be six games (freshman, JV, varsity) to fit into two gyms. The move is intended as a cost-cutting measure by the Clark County School District, which will cut its gym usage and transportation by half.
The move is not sitting well with most coaches, as many varsity games will not end until 9:30 or 10 p.m., sometimes on school nights, if the early games run behind schedule. On the bright side, basketball fans and parents can now catch both boys' and girls' varsity action at the same place.
3) Who are the favorites this year?
It's really tough to say, as the Valley is devoid of a standout team for the first time in a few years.
"I think it's wide open," Foothill coach Kevin Soares said. "It's still early in the season, and you never know what's going to play out."
Durango returns three starters and added Western's Allen McFarland, a top scorer for the Warriors, who scattered around town after coach Tony Hopkins left for Mojave. While the Blazers lost a stunner to Centennial this week, they are still regarded as a favorite -- by everyone but their coach.
"I just think everyone has a higher opinion of us than I do," Durango coach Al LaRocque said.
Cheyenne will likely contend, even though the defending state champions lost most of their key players to graduation. Bishop Gorman and Palo Verde also got mentions from area coaches, while the Sunrise appears to be without a big-time contender. Las Vegas could be strong with its top-notch guard play, while Foothill and Coronado can make noise coming from the Southeast.
4) Who is the best player in town?
Your guess is as good as anyone's because, in all honesty, there is not one spectacular player who jumps into the spotlight. A number of really strong players are there, but there does not appear to be any player ready to take over the city right now.
5) That being said, how about a preseason All-City team?
Of course. We are going to combine the talent we see right now with the results we expect to see by season's end.
The easiest pick is a combination of talent and a dearth at the position, making Coronado's Mike Kale our center. After that, we need many combo guards and slashers to fill out the roster. Palo Verde two-sport star Jarrell Harrison should continue his development as one of the city's top talents after he recovers from a long football season.
Join Harrison up in the backcourt with Las Vegas' Stanley Copeland, who likely will not hit his stride until January after he also recovers from football. Durango puts two on this list: Tywain McTyer makes it not as much for his stats as for his versatility and heart, and Lamar Falley is a star waiting to happen.
With so much parity, here are a few more worth considering: Durango's Houston Power, Foothill's Jamaal Smith, Las Vegas' Kenny Howard, Bishop Gorman's Kashif Watson, Bonanza's Nigel Moore and Ernie Domanico, Palo Verde's Nate Schulte and -- if he's eligible and healthy -- Cheyenne's Harvey Perry Jr. Perry drops to this group as we wait to see how he meshes after his third school transfer is as many offseasons.
6) Who is the sleeper team?
Bonanza is the obvious choice, and the Bengals are actually not that much of a sleeper because people are buzzing about them. The only reason they fall into this category is that Bonanza has not had a really good year in basketball for quite a while, so the school is emerging from afterthought status.
7) Anything happening in Reno?
Well, if you're looking for another David Padgett, he is not there. Padgett is in Kansas, starting as a freshman after starring at Reno High. He was easily the state's best player when healthy, but was an anomaly for the North, which usually lags behind the Las Vegas area in boys' basketball.
There is likely not a team to challenge the South's best.
8) When is the state tournament?
Make you travel plans for Reno, from Feb. 25-28, 2004.
9) Anything special about this year's state tournament?
This is the last year that the hoops festival will be exclusively at Reno's Lawlor Events Center. The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association is putting all sports on a rotation in which Las Vegas and Reno will alternate hosting state playoffs every year. Losing the late February stint in Reno is a bit sad, much in the same way that some still lament the end of the all-day, all-class football playoffs at Sam Boyd Stadium.
10) Enough already ... who is going to win state?
Last year, we picked Bishop Gorman to beat Cheyenne. Well, the Desert Shields made the final and Gorman did not even qualify for state. That should give you an idea of the difficulty in picking a state winner this early in the year.
With that wimpy preface, we cannot see how Durango misses the state finals if Power, McTyer and Falley are playing to their potential.
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