Gorman’s Frohnen has career game, leads Gaels into state title game

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | 7:25 p.m.

RENO — Byron Frohnen listened to the advice of his coaches. The end result was arguably the best game of his basketball career.

“Coaches told me to be aggressive from the start,” Frohnen said.

He did that and some.

The Bishop Gorman High senior scored 20 points today in the state semifinals against Reno High at UNR’s Lawlor Events Center, helping the Gaels to a comfortable 70-39 victory and spot in Friday’s state championship game.

Gorman, powered by a 19-2 scoring run in the first half, led by double digits seven minutes into the game. While top 2017 recruit Chuck O’Bannon Jr. led Gorman with 23 points, including a pair of 3-point plays in the first-half scoring outburst, Frohnen’s efforts were equally valuable.

Most teams try to stop O’Bannon and McDonald’s All-American center Zach Collins. Today, that plan backfired. Frohnen had eight of Gorman’s initial 22 points, and for the game went 10-for-10 shooting from the field.

“He has been really good in the open court. He can play one through four, position wise,” Gorman coach Grant Rice said. “He handles the ball as well as anyone. When he gets the ball in the open court, we want him to attack. People think he is so unselfish, they expect him to pass the ball. That allowed him to be open to go in for some layups.”

Frohnen missed a month earlier in the season with a knee injury. He returned in January and has become a valuable part of Gorman’s starting lineup. First, he’s unselfish and takes pride in getting Collins and O’Bannon involved. More important, as he showed against Reno, he can score from all over the court.

“It took awhile to get back into a groove. Now, I feel like I’m playing more aggressive,” he said.

In two regional playoff games last week, the four-time defending state champion Gaels were challenged into the second half. By the time the fourth quarter started against Reno, Gorman’s reserves were putting on the finishing touches of a running-clock victory. Gorman outscored Reno 24-2 in the second half.

Instead of laboring in a back-and-forth game, Gorman was already resting its players for Friday’s championship game. It plays the winner of the second semifinal between Coronado of Henderson and Carson. The Gaels will play for their fifth straight title.

“Anytime you can have your starters sit the fourth quarter, that’s a good thing,” Gorman coach Grant Rice said.

Collins finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Christian Popoola also had 10 points for the Gaels.