Preseason top-10: Gorman basketball sits atop a deep field of contenders

The high school basketball season in Nevada could follow a familiar script: Bishop Gorman, the two-time defending state champions and perennial powerhouse, fending off a talented Coronado squad for supremacy.

The schools occupy the top two spots in the Sun’s preseason poll, but once the season tips off, all bets are off.

Just look at last year’s chaos.

Silverado barely squeezed into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed, then delivered one of the biggest upsets in city history by knocking off Coronado in the first round. Centennial stormed out to a 19-1 start. Mojave reached the state championship game and produced the state player of the year.

As teams prepare for another unpredictable season, here are the top contenders:

Bishop Gorman

Gorman knows how to win when February rolls around, and this season should be no exception with juniors Ty Johnson and Kameron Cooper leading the charge.

The duo came off the bench as freshmen in 2023 to help deliver a state championship — adding to the program’s state-best 24 titles — and have steadily elevated their games ever since.

Johnson is an elite shutdown defender who averaged eight points and two steals per game last season. Cooper, a 6-foot-4 forward who posted 12 points and five rebounds per game, has made a significant leap this offseason and now holds scholarship offers from TCU and Xavier. On most nights, they’ll be the best one-two punch on the floor.

Gorman should also dominate inside with Tyler Bright, a 6-foot-9 forward and four-year varsity performer.

“We are going to do what we do,” Gorman coach Grant Rice said. “We want to be at our best in February when we get to the playoffs and the state tournament. I believe in these guys.”

The Gaels will need key contributions from newcomers to the rotation, including senior Dino Roberts, as they replace departed star Jett Washington, who is enrolling early at Oregon to play football. With Washington in the lineup last season, Gorman lost just once — to a national top-20 opponent.

Coronado

Coronado may well have the most talented roster in the state.

Leading the way is junior forward Munir Greig, a transfer from the Philadelphia area who ranks as the nation’s No. 29 recruit by 247 Sports, and sophomore forward Devaughn Dorrough, rated the No. 24 prospect nationally for the Class of 2028 by Rivals. Senior forward Amare Oba, a Missouri State signee, adds another dimension after transferring from Skyline Prep in Utah.

Anchoring the backcourt is Johnny Collins, who will be marking his third consecutive season as a starter.

“This year’s group is very, very focused,” coach Jeff Kaufman said. “They don’t mess around. We have a good group — not only mature upperclassmen, but four sophomores who are very strong and competing every day to get on the floor.”

The Cougars beat Gorman during last year’s regular season and believe they have the firepower to do it again.

Desert Pines

Capri Uzan is in his first full season as head coach at his alma mater, where he was part of the Jaguars’ 2017 state championship team coached by his father, Mike. The younger Uzan doesn’t hesitate when discussing this season’s roster potential: “You can expect a lot of excitement.”

That optimism stems from a roster filled with tough, competitive players “who really like each other and playing together,” Uzan said.

Leading the charge is sophomore guard Aaron McMorran, who averaged 20 points per game as a freshman last season. The Jaguars also have size with 6-foot-7 junior Tyler Merto, who posted eight points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Sophomore Mike Taylor — a football standout who contributed eight points and six rebounds per game — and junior guard Lavelle Lovelace give Desert Pines a formidable starting lineup.

With a roster dominated by underclassmen who are all athletic and brimming with confidence, expect the Jaguars to push tempo and play an aggressive, up-tempo style.

Mojave

Mojave won back-to-back lower-tier state championships in 2022 and 2023 before being elevated to the top classification. That hasn’t stopped them from winning — they reached the title game last season.

Coach Kejuan Clark says the program is built on accountability and keeping players in the gym. “The goal is to get better every day,” he said, “not to be the top team right now but one of the top teams in February.”

The Rattlers must replace guard CJ Shaw, who helped deliver those championships and ranks among the school’s all-time greats. But, as Clark argues, the cupboard is far from bare.

Senior guard Curtis Coleman, who holds scholarship offers from Pepperdine and New Mexico, averaged 7.5 points per game last season and will take on an expanded scoring role. Aries Denson, Jayden Luna and Devin Thomas each contributed as juniors and will also be heavily featured. Junior Tyjir Broxie, a 6-foot-7 forward, is expected to emerge as a double-figure scorer.

Liberty

Liberty returns a pair of veteran performers in wing Dante Steward, who averaged 16.6 points per game last season, and Tyus Thomas, a four-year point guard who rejoins the program after spending his junior season in Phoenix.

Thomas, who holds scholarship offers from Utah Tech and UC Riverside, averaged 10 points and four assists per game as a sophomore in 2023-24.

With Thomas’ experience running the offense, coach Keith Ulrich expects Liberty to excel in transition. “We have a chance to be one of the best transition teams in the city this year with how we get out of our defense,” he said.

Ulrich takes over for coaching great Kevin Soares, who led Liberty to the 2022 state championship and 2023 state title game before retiring. The transition has been seamless.

“The kids have been bought in since Day 1,” Ulrich said. “It makes the job easy when you come into an established culture.”

Democracy Prep

Democracy Prep is hoping to go from Class 3A state champions to kings of Class 5A. The school successfully petitioned to move up a classification, confident it has the program to compete with the area’s elite.

“We want to get as big as we can,” coach Cory Duke said.

It’s a bold jump for the Blue Knights, who won the Class 2A title in 2023-24 before capturing the Class 3A crown last season.

“I believe in our guys,” Duke said. “I have seen the maturation process over the last three years and their growth.”

Democracy Prep graduated just three seniors from last year’s squad and returns essentially the same lineup.

Leading the way is sophomore Dashaun Harris, who averaged 10 points and 2.3 steals per game, and guard Tai Coleman, who posted 12.6 points per game. Senior Mario Allen provides veteran leadership and clutch genes — his free throws in the final seconds clinched last season’s state title against Mater East.

The Blue Knights also added Zyon Harris, a transfer from Centennial who holds a scholarship offer from Southern Utah.

Centennial

Centennial won 19 of its first 20 games last season, including a statement victory against Coronado, proving it could compete with any program in town. Though it had to forfeit many of those wins for using an ineligible player, the bar was clearly elevated in coaching legend Karen Weitz’s second year leading Centennial’s boys’ program. Weitz has led the Centennial girls to 15 state titles.

“We expect our guys to come out and play hard and compete,” Weitz said. “Like I always say, Centennial is in charge of Centennial, so what we do depends on what we want to do.”

The Bulldogs are led by senior Jayden Ceaser, along with Gavin Ahlstrom and Cooper Jenkins — a trio of players each with multiple years of varsity experience.

Foothill

Foothill, in its first season in Class 4A, could find itself making a serious run at a state championship.

“It’s a tough group,” coach Chris Crunk said. “We are going to do our best to compete. These guys really have heart and passion.”

The Falcons will lean on senior Dominic Comtois, who led the team in scoring at 12 points per game last season. They also boast size with 6-foot-7 forward Packer Kelley, who averaged five points and five rebounds per game, and veteran leadership from guard Reece Velasco.

This is Crunk’s fourth season as head coach at his alma mater, meaning the senior class has developed entirely under his system.

“These guys know what to expect,” Crunk said.

Las Vegas

What Las Vegas lacks in size, the Wildcats make up for in speed.

Coach Jason Wilson expects his team to push tempo with athletic guards leading the charge, though they lack true post players.

The Wildcats are dropping to Class 4A and expected to compete for a championship.

“They are going to listen, they are going to learn and they will play to the best of their ability when it counts,” Wilson said of his players.

Senior Jakhai Jones is the top returner after averaging six points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game last season. Malachi Dorsey contributed three points and four rebounds per game, while junior Jacory Boyce added four points per game.

Somerset Losee

The Lions could be considered a surprise addition to the top 10 — but only because they’re unproven at this level.

Their lineup is anchored by DJ Hunter, a top-rated freshman nationally who could be the best player on the court most nights. Somerset, the 2023 state champion in Class 3A, features multiple talented young players, including Yasin Musa, who averaged 7.9 points per game as a freshman last season.

“They aren’t regular youngsters,” coach Darrius Banks said. “We have a talented group.”

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