Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.
Prep Sports Now
Discussing divisions at the start of league play
Las Vegas Sun reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer take a look around Las Vegas high school basketball by talking about each of the four divisions. They also break down their early impressions of the area's top programs, Bishop Gorman and Canyon Springs.
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Though it may not sound as flashy as the famous Puff Daddy song “It’s All About the Benjamins,” at Western High it’s all about the Washingtons.
Brothers Kenyon and Kentrell Washington and their cousin Sir Washington have the Warriors expecting a monumental season on the basketball court this year. They showed why Wednesday night in an 87-70 victory against Southwest division foe Sierra Vista.
Sir Washington, a sophomore, had 27 points and 10 rebounds. Kentrell Washington, a junior, scored 25 points with four assists. And Kenyon Washington, a senior, had a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
“What more can you ask for,” said Western coach Chip Nelson after the game.
For the Washingtons, this is nothing new. They’ve played basketball together since they were children and Sir said all three fed each off of each others' energy.
Kentrell started off with the hot hand against the Mountain Lions, scoring nine points in the first quarter. Kenyon and Sir heated up soon after.
“If one person gets it done,” Sir said, “then everyone else is going to do it, too.”
Kentrell’s strong start got the Warriors an early 11-point lead that they held onto for the rest of the game. It wasn’t until the final minute of the third quarter that the game was within two possessions again for Sierra Vista.
Sierra Vista senior Maiscei Grier, the state’s early season leading scorer, scored nine of his game-high 28 points in the quarter’s final two minutes to cut Western’s lead to five.
After a Western basket, Grier hit a three-pointer to open the fourth quarter and make the score 57-53. But Sir scored six points in an 8-0 Warriors run immediately following Grier’s heroics to help his team pull away.
“I saw the score getting close and took over,” Sir said. “I got some boards and started putting up more shots.”
Western’s defense also played a major role in the victory, as it held Sierra Vista standout Viko Noma’aea to 12 points.
Led by Kenyon’s big numbers on the glass, Western out-rebounded Sierra Vista by nearly 20.
“That’s been Kenyon’s thing all season” Nelson said. “He’s physical down low and he gets rebounds when we need them. That’s a testament to him and how well he rebounds without being so tall.”
Sierra Vista dropped to 2-1, while Western improved to 5-0. Although it’s still early in the season, Wednesday night’s game was likely one of the biggest of the year for the Warriors and the Mountain Lions.
Western finished second in the league last year, but Sierra Vista returned most of its top players and looked like it had a chance to grab the spot this season. This defeat makes it significantly tougher for Sierra Vista to leap over Western.
“We came into this saying if we wanted to be No. 1 or No. 2, we’ve got to beat Sierra Vista,” Nelson said. “This is going to be by far our toughest game until January. They are a complete team.”
A fresh coat of paint and a fresh perspective are among the changes being made around Western High School.
Western is one of five turnaround schools that missed the marks set by No Child Left Behind and now faces the challenge of increasing student achievement.
The school is the third oldest in the district and its campus lies near Decatur Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Highway. The majority of students attending Western are minorities from disadvantaged homes. Western is known for having a rough past, but students are optimistic about the future of their school.
Change is apparent according to students interviewed in September.
“When I was in eighth grade, I was told I was going to get shot or stabbed when I came to Western,” said senior Kole Yanez, 17. “That might have been true 15 years ago, but now, you don’t see that here.”
Rules are tightly enforced on campus. The school keeps a strict dress code policy and cell phone use during class time is not permitted.
Halls are designated by grade level giving students a sense of ownership and community. Pride is clearly visible at pep rallies and sporting events. The newfound pride might just be he medicine needed to alleviate the 8 percent dropout rate, the highest in the district.
“It’s like building a house. You need a strong foundation,” said Neddy Alvarez, principal. “You need those strong relationships. When kids know we care about them, the learning will take place.”
- Year built:
- 1960
- Mascot:
- Warriors
- Principal (Year Hired):
- Neddy Alvarez (2008)
- Mission Statement:
- “The mission of Western High School is to promote scholarship, encourage good citizenship, and embrace our cultural diversity.”
- Enrollment:
- Approximately 2,400
- Notable alumni:
- Frank Hawkins, former NFL player
Capt. Nicole Malachowski, first female Thunderbird
Ronnie Vannucci, drummer of The Killers
Tom Collins, Clark County commissioner - School Report Card:
- 2010-2011
Compiled by Gregan Wingert
Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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