Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun
Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011 | 2:05 a.m.
Prep Sports Now
Back from break, basketball resumes
Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Case Keefer and Ray Brewer dive back into the high school basketball scene and tell you who to look out for in the second half of the season. Brewer is convinced he can already tell who will play in the state championship in both the boys and girls.
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Bishop Gorman guard Shabazz Muhammad made eight straight NBA-range three-pointers during his team’s halftime shoot-around Tuesday evening.
Muhammad’s efficiency wasn’t much different during the actual game against Western. Muhammad, a junior, knocked down five three-pointers and scored 29 points as Gorman re-opened Southwest Division play with a 75-53 victory against Western.
“I was just feeling it in warm-ups,” Muhammad said. “I felt my shot coming on and guys did well distributing the ball.”
Muhammad contributed another highlight in the first quarter when he threw down a ferocious dunk while alone on a fast break. The slam capped off a quick 14-3 run for the Gaels after they fell behind 8-7 to Western early.
Gorman never trailed again. Whenever Western came close to cutting the game to a manageable deficit, Muhammad made a play.
“We went on a good run,” Gorman coach Grant Rice said. “I thought Rosco Allen really pushed the tempo in the first quarter. He and Ben Carter really got us going in the first quarter, and then Shabazz carried us through.”
Allen made sure UNLV coach Lon Kruger, who was in attendance, saw marquee performances from not one but two of the nation’s top recruits in the class of 2012. Allen had a big dunk of his own and finished with 21 points.
“I thought he was great tonight,” Rice said.
Junior forward Ben Carter added 11 points for the Gaels, while junior point guard Gio Guzman wound up with seven assists. Gorman also used a zone defense to stifle Western’s offense.
The Gaels held Sir Washington and Kentrell Washington, the Warriors' top two scorers, to only 14 points combined.
“Last year we played zero possessions in zone the whole year, which is kind of funny,” Rice said. “But this is a new team that’s not quite as quick and athletic as last year, but definitely bigger and longer.”
Last year, Western gave Gorman its closest game against an in-state opponent. The Gaels escaped with only a 10-point victory.
The Warriors are once again the second-place team in the Southwest and perhaps the Gaels' biggest challenge before the state tournament. The teams meet again later this month, but Gorman passed the first test with ease.
Muhammad said Gorman was the most focused it had been all season Tuesday following a loss in the finals of a tournament in Portland, Ore., against DeMatha (Maryland) last week.
“That was painful and we wanted to come back strong,” he said.
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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