Ten state champions will be crowned this week as the Nevada high school basketball season reaches its climax. The action tips off Wednesday with the Class 5A semifinals at Valley High School in Las Vegas.
Class 5A boys
Two-time defending state champion Bishop Gorman (18-9) enters as the No. 2 seed and faces rival Coronado (15-8) at 4:40 p.m. The Gaels edged Coronado 62-58 on Jan. 10, and the teams have split their last four meetings. Gorman beat Centennial 69-65 in the quarterfinals, while Coronado rolled past Mojave 71-34.
In the other boys semifinal, top-seeded Liberty (22-5) takes on No. 5 Democracy Prep (14-12) at 8 p.m. Liberty went undefeated in 5A Southern League play and crushed Sierra Vista 84-56 in the quarterfinals. Democracy Prep edged Desert Pines 61-59.
Class 5A girls
No. 1 Bishop Gorman (21-3) faces No. 4 Coronado (10-15) at 3 p.m. Gorman beat Coronado 73-29 earlier this season. No. 2 Democracy Prep (15-6) meets No. 3 Shadow Ridge (12-8) at 6:20 p.m. Democracy Prep stunned defending state champion Centennial 62-29 in the quarterfinals. Democracy Prep won two close games against Gorman last season, including a 60-49 overtime victory in the 5A state semifinals, but Gorman returned the favor with a 63-51 win on Jan. 21.
Class 4A
The 4A state semifinals are Friday at Spanish Springs. Clark (20-5) earned the South’s No. 1 seed by beating Legacy 77-62 in the Southern Region title game. The Chargers face Reno High at 8 p.m. Legacy (23-8) meets Bishop Manogue at 4:40 p.m. Clark lost to eventual champion Sierra Vista in last year’s state tournament.
In girls action, Losee (25-5) beat Mater East 59-41 for the Southern Region crown and faces Spanish Springs at 3 p.m. Mater East (20-6) plays Reno High at 6:20 p.m. Losee made its second straight state tournament appearance after losing to eventual champion Legacy in last year’s semifinals. Mater East won the 3A title last season and moved up to 4A.
Class 3A
Fernley High hosts the 3A tournaments Friday. The Meadows boys (22-6) are the Southern Region champion and face Spring Creek at 8 p.m. Virgin Valley (20-5) plays Fernley at 4:40 p.m. The Virgin Valley girls (21-7) won the Southern Region title 70-20 over Boulder City and face Fernley at 3 p.m. Boulder City (16-14) meets Churchill County at 6:20 p.m. Virgin Valley lost to Mater East in last year’s 3A girls title game.
Class 2A
Wooster High in Reno hosts the 2A tournaments Friday. Needles (22-3) won the Southern Region boys title over Lake Mead Academy and faces West Wendover at 8:30 p.m. Lake Mead Academy (15-9) plays Battle Mountain at 5:10 p.m. The Mustangs lost in last year’s 2A title game to Incline. Lincoln County topped Needles for the Southern Region girls title and plays Oasis Academy at 3:30 p.m. Needles, the two-time defending girls champion, faces Yerington at 6:50 p.m.
Class 1A
The 1A tournaments begin Thursday with quarterfinals at Reno High and Spanish Springs. Pahranagat Valley claimed both Southern League titles. The boys face Mineral County at 8:30 p.m. at Reno; Word of Life plays defending state champion Smith Valley at 5:10 p.m. at Reno. The girls play Smith Valley at 6:50 p.m. at Reno; Laughlin meets three-time defending champion Pyramid Lake at 3 p.m. at Reno. Other quarterfinals include Spring Mountain vs. Eureka at 4:40 p.m. at Spanish Springs and Tonopah vs. Owyhee at 8 p.m. at Spanish Springs on the boys side; Round Mountain vs. Owyhee at 6:20 p.m. and Beatty vs. Eureka at 3 p.m. at Spanish Springs on the girls side.
