Tuition-free prep school set to debut

A new high school girls basketball program plans to begin play this season in Southern Nevada.

And its roster is filling up with transfers from other local teams even before the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association addresses its status.

Quest Prep, a state-sponsored and tuition-free charter school, will begin teaching high school courses Thursday, said academic adviser and counselor Mahina Gago. A separate campus already serves younger students.

The high school will operate out of the Heinrich YMCA at 4141 Meadows Lane in Las Vegas. Classrooms already were visible Friday inside the YMCA.

The head coach of the girls team is former Bishop Gorman star Brian Sitter, who also is the director of the Vegas Elite club programs. Seven Vegas Elite girls players are listed as attending Quest Prep this year on the club's website.

Sitter said he has commitments from nine players to play for Quest Prep, though a couple still hadn't discussed the situation with their original high school coaches.

One of the incoming players is senior forward Diamond Major, who recently made an oral commitment to UNLV. Major played last season at Gorman.

"What was attractive to going there was their educational system," said Yvette Major, Diamond's mother. "The other attraction was of the national AAU team that will be headed by Brian Sitter."

A Vegas Elite office is set up down the hall from the classrooms at the YMCA.

Quest Prep athletic director Ennis Wesley said the Knights hope to play home games at the Centennial Hills Community Center YMCA. Sitter said the team hopes to begin play the week of Thanksgiving.

Sitter said he hopes Quest Prep eventually can play top local teams such as Centennial, Gorman and Liberty, but it's unclear whether that could happen this season. Ray Mathis, Clark County School District executive director of athletics, did not return a phone message seeking comment.

NIAA assistant director Donnie Nelson said Quest Prep's possible membership status is an agenda item for the NIAA's Board of Control meeting in October.

Sitter said he "absolutely" has encountered resistance as local players have joined Quest Prep.

"I hear through the girls and the parents that some of the coaches aren't happy about their girls leaving the program," he said. "But at the same time, we're not competing for a state championship. My goal is more about the development of the girls."

Wesley said Quest Prep also is working on putting together a national boys basketball program, which will be coached by Greg Lockridge.

Sitter said his goal is to help players prepare for college.

"The talent in town is so spread out," he said. "I have a lot of girls in my (club) program who don't get to play competitive basketball consistently during the high school season. My hope is that the girls basketball community will see I'm just trying to provide another option."

■ NOTE - Desert Pines boys senior point guard Julian Jacobs has decommitted from Utah. He originally chose the Utes in March.

Contact reporter Tristan Aird at taird@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow him on Twitter: @tristanaird.