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Aaseem Dixon of Centennial shoots free throw against Palo Verde during their game Tuesday, February 9, 2011 at Palo Verde High School. Centennial won the game 74-57.
Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011 | 10:30 p.m.
Prep Sports Now
Playoff bracket breakdown
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Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer discuss their way through the Sunrise and Sunset playoff brackets. They disagree on the early rounds, but come to a consensus on who will advance to the state championship.
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Western focused its entire defensive game plan around stopping Centennial’s Aaseem Dixon in the teams’ first-round playoff game Tuesday night.
That wasn’t enough. Dixon scored 24 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists as Centennial glided past Western 92-68.
“It was another box-and-one against Aaseem,” Centennial coach Todd Allen said of the zone defense Western used. “We’re getting used to that. We’re stepping up and dealing with it well.”
Dixon exploded at the start of the game and scored the Bulldogs first six points. They never looked back after that and were able to overcome a sharp-shooting night from Western’s Ryan Johnson, who hit four 3-pointers.
In addition to Dixon, Centennial center Evan Martin had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Martin also added five blocks.
Marcus Allen, meanwhile, scored 16 points.
“We shot really well out of the gate,” Todd Allen said. “Our quickness really got to them.”
The Centennial victory sets up a Sunset semifinal showdown with Sierra Vista. Both the Mountain Lions and Bulldogs have only lost four games this season and have proven to be two of the area’s best teams.
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 case.keefer@lasvegassun.com. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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