Preps basketball: Sunset region

Nick Christensen

Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

Nick Christensen

Bishop Gorman GAELS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 20-8, lost in Sunset quarterfinals to Cheyenne. Girls -- 21-4, lost in Sunset final to Centennial.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Boys -- (10) 2002, 2000, 1997, 1989, 1988, 1984, 1979, 1978, 1963, 1962; Girls -- None.

COACHES: Boys -- Grant Rice, 4th year. Girls -- Sheryl Krmpotich, 7th year. RETURNING STARTERS: 4 boys, 3 girls.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : Gorman is ranked as high as 20th in the U.S. by national publications. Led by guards Kashif Watson, Marcus Lawrence and Greg Williams, as well as forward C.J. Portz, the Gaels are the team to beat in the Sunset Region.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : The arrival of the Freeman girls from Palo Verde adds to the already deep Gorman roster, featuring Cash Connors, Apryl Roberts and Kaila Mangrum.

Bonanza BENGALS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 21-6, lost in Sunset semifinals to Durango. Girls -- 22-5, lost in Sunset quarterfinals to Mojave.

COACHES: Boys -- George Jackle, 4th year. Girls -- Jon Grande, 1st year.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: None.

RETURNING STARTERS: 0 boys, 2 girls.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : A rebuilding year at Bonanza, which lost Nigel Moore to Snow Canyon (St. George, Utah) after football season and return just two players. Cory Petersen and out-of-state transfer Daniel Peschal lead the new Bengals.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : The Bengals are in transition, but new coach Jon Grande doesn't want to talk about a rebuilding year. Senior forward Latiffany Wallace leads a weakened Bengals team that lost some players to Spring Valley's opening.

Centennial BULLDOGS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 10-12. Girls -- 26-2, won state championship.

COACHES: Boys -- Greg Bohls, 6th year. Girls -- Karen Weitz, 6th year.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Boys - None. Girls -- (3) 2004, 2003, 2002.

RETURNING STARTERS: 3 boys, 5 girls.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : Senior forward Anthony Burton leads the Centennial attack this year, in a fairly open Northwest Division. Centennial's JV team won 20 games last year, and the Bulldogs expect to draw heavily from the undercard program.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : Take a look at Centennial's past state championships. Now observe Centennial's returning starters. Two of those starters are returning Sun All-State first-team players, and one more was second team. Anything less than a championship would be stunning.

Cheyenne DESERT SHIELDS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 16-11, lost in Sunset semifinals to Palo Verde. Girls -- 14-15 , lost in Sunset semifinals to Bishop Gorman.

COACHES: Boys -- Larry Johnson, 8th year. Girls -- Marcus Conard.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Boys -- (1) 2003. Girls -- None.

RETURNING STARTERS: 1 boy, 2 girls.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : 6-10 sophomore Melvyn Oliver leads this year's Desert Shields team, a perennial power in the Northwest Division. "He's a presence rebounding, and the kid loves to pass," coach Larry Johnson said. "He has nice outlet passes for layups. He's very unselfish; sometimes we even wish he'd shoot more."

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : Cheyenne lost talent after falling to Bishop Gorman in last year's playoffs, and might not make it there this year if other Northwest teams step up their play this season.

Cimarron-Memorial SPARTANS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 13-19, lost in Sunset quarterfinals to Durango. Girls -- 5-22.

COACHES: Boys -- Steve Boyack, 2nd year. Girls -- Pat Thomas, 2nd year.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Boys -- (2) 1999, 1994; Girls -- None.

RETURNING STARTERS: 1 boy, 2 girls.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : Sandwiched between the two more dominant teams in the Northwest, Cimarron coach Steve Boyack still believes the Spartans will hold their own this year. His son, Cory, leads the Cimarron attack, having averaged 12 points and six assists last year.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : Cimarron's young and in the Northwest -- not a good combination this season. The Spartans, led by Jessica White and Libby Brooks, could be competitive on the bottom half of the Northwest playoff bracket.

Clark CHARGERS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 3-17. Girls -- 1-15.

COACHES: Boys -- Chris Brody, 2nd year. Girls -- Nick Morrow, 2nd year.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Boys -- (4) 1993, 1970, 1969, 1968. Girls -- None.

RETURNING STARTERS: 5 boys, 5 girls.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : "If any year's the year, we can get in there this year." That's the message coach Chris Brody has for his team, with five returning starters but plenty of room to improve. In a weakened Southwest Division, any improvement could get them into the playoffs.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : New arrival Tenica Braxton brings higher expectations to Clark. "She reminds me of Sequoia Holmes," coach Nick Morrow said of his 6-1 guard that moved to Las Vegas from Westchester, Calif. "Her ballhandling, passing, shooting, threepointing whatever, she can do it."

Durango TRAILBLAZERS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 23-8, lost in Sunset final to Palo Verde. Girls -- 8-20.

COACHES: Boys -- Al LaRocque, 11th year. Girls -- John Bartleson, 1st year.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Boys -- (2) 1996, 1995. Girls -- None.

RETURNING STARTERS: 1 boy, 2 girls.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : The Durango roster was depleted, but consensus around town is that the Trailblazers roster will be replenished. Junior Andre McFarland is the one key returner to Durango, which still should compete for second in the Southwest Division.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : Former New Mexico, Cal-State Northridge and Utah State assistant John Bartleson took over the Durango girls' team last week, after Al LaRocque served as both boys' and girls' coach in the offseason. Shayla Martinez and Ally LaRocque are the Trailblazers' two key returners.

Mojave RATTLERS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 18-8, lost in Sunset quarterfinals to Bonanza. Girls -- 15-10, lost in Sunset quarterfinals to Bonanza.

COACHES: Boys -- Tony Hopkins, 2nd year. Girls -- Darrell Green, 1st year.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: None.

RETURNING STARTERS: 1 boy, 4 girls.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : Senior guard Dominique Watson can shoot, dunk, and defend -- and then there's the rest of Mojave, which figures to be competitive if the roster can remain stable through the year.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : The Rattlers return a fairly strong team despite Sequoia Holmes moving on to UNLV. In'Desha Chatman anchors the returning players, while freshman Chelsea Hopkins is a "bona fide point guard" as coach Darrell Green put it, with a big upside and room to grow.

Palo Verde PANTHERS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 25-6, won state championship. Girls -- 14-14, lost in Sunset quarterfinals to Bishop Gorman.

COACHES: Boys -- Paul Aznarez (interim head coach). Girls -- Gina Piccolo.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Boys -- (1) 2004. Girls -- None.

RETURNING STARTERS: 1 boy.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : The defending state champions start the year without three key pieces -- Phil Clarke, Jarrell Harrison and Nate Schulte. Clarke continues cancer treatment in Southern California, and veteran assistant and former head coach Paul Aznarez leads the team to start the year. Harrison's out until after Saturday's football championship. Defending Sun boys player of the year Nate Schulte is gone for good, enjoying his junior year at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : The loss of Lynsey and Ashley Freeman figures to hurt, but Palo Verde seems to maintain a relatively competitive team.

Shadow Ridge MUSTANGS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 9-16. Girls -- 8-18.

COACHES: Boys -- Kevin Otis, 2nd year. Girls -- Justin Scanson, 2nd year.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: None.

RETURNING STARTERS: 4 boys, 4 girls.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : Shadow Ridge comes into a very tough division, but return four starters, including seniors Chris Berkley and Jesse Walker. Newcomer Markel Farmer, a 6-4 junior, anchors the inside attack.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : Senior Amanda Tietz powers the Mustangs at guard, after averaging 10.5 points and five rebounds a game last season. She's the only 12th grader on the roster, giving Shadow Ridge room to grow.

Sierra Vista MOUNTAIN LIONS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 11-16, lost in Sunset quarterfinals to Palo Verde. Girls -- 13-16, lost in Sunset quarterfinals to Centennial.

COACHES: Boys -- Ken Gibson, 3rd year. Girls -- Lindsay Whalen, 1st year.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: None.

RETURNING STARTERS: 2 boys, 1 girl.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: Sierra Vista's a young team but in a weak division after the top two teams. Fariest Brown, at 6-3, is the tallest player.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : A young team returns leading scorer Alex Cox, one of three seniors on Sierra Vista's roster. The Mountain Lions should be right there when playoff seeds shake down in February.

Spring Valley GRIZZLIES

2003-04 RECORDS: First-year school.

COACHES: Boys -- Phil McAlister, 1st year. Girls -- Michelle Minggia, 1st year.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : Spring Valley gets style points for having a player named Blaize. Forward Blaize Smith is the anchor of the Grizzlies' attack, which could sneak into a playoff spot.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : The first year school in the worst spot -- they play in a very competitive division.

Western WARRIORS

2003-04 RECORDS: Boys -- 5-19. Girls -- 11-16, lost in Sunset quarterfinals to Cheyenne.

COACHES: Boys -- Chancellor Davis, 1st year. Girls -- Mel Washington.

PAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Boys -- (6) 2001, 1991, 1990, 1971, 1964, 1962. Girls -- None.

RETURNING STARTERS: 5 boys.

BOYS' OUTLOOK: : Ed Harris and Kory McRoy lead the Warriors team that didn't even make the playoffs last year. Rebounding is the key, said new coach Chancellor Davis.

GIRLS' OUTLOOK: : Western seems to maintain a fairly competitive team, but won't have nearly enough to break into that top tier.