Girls basketball preview: Centennial hopes to reclaim perch
Centennial’s girls basketball team is in “uncharted territory,” as coach Karen Weitz put it.
For the first time since the 2014-15 season, Centennial will not enter the new season as the reigning state champion. The Bulldogs are also navigating having one returning starter and bringing in six freshmen.
The girls basketball season began Friday, but most local teams will play their first games this week.
Centennial’s run of eight straight state titles ended in February when Bishop Gorman rallied and claimed a 57-53 victory to win the 5A championship at the Thomas &Mack Center.
Gorman returns most of its starters from last year’s title team, and the Gaels are the favorite to defend their title. Democracy Prep, which lost to Gorman in the state semifinals and beat Centennial in the regular season last year, will also battle for the title.
Centennial will still be in contention.
“No doubt, your top teams have to be Gorman and Democracy Prep because they got all the experience coming back,” Weitz said. ”But we’re far from laying down and dying. We’re going to get out there, and we’re going to try and compete and see what we can do.”
Dynamic guards
Junior guard Aaliah Spaight had a breakout season last year to help Gorman win its fifth state title and first since 2010. She averaged 17.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 4.4 steals per game to help the Gaels to a 24-4 record. Spaight was named the 5A offensive player of the year and earned Nevada Gatorade player of the year honors.
The Gaels also return guards Addysen Carr and Kenzee Holton. Last season was the first year of the second stint for coach Sheryl Krmpotich with the Gaels. She led Gorman to its first four state titles in her first stint (1998 to 2016), and the win against Centennial for the title was Krmpotich’s 501st career victory.
Democracy Prep knocked off Centennial 50-46 in the regular season. It was the first loss for the Bulldogs against a Nevada team since January 2015.
The Blue Knights won the 2A title in 2023, petitioned to move up to 5A and finished 18-7 and third in the standings in a tight battle with Gorman and Centennial. Bray’ana Miles, a first-team All-Southern Nevada guard, is one of their top returners.
Democracy Prep brings back guard Keonni Lewis, who missed last season with an injury. Lewis averaged 20.2 points per game as a freshman when the Blue Knights won the 2A title.
Eyes on Nation
Centennial’s lone returning starter is Nation Williams. The sophomore forward was named 5A defensive player of the year last season and has notable Division I offers from South Carolina, Notre Dame, UCLA and Maryland.
“She’s still young because she’s only a sophomore,” Weitz said. “She definitely is trying to put a lot of weight on her shoulders.”
The Bulldogs will get some help with senior forward Ayla Williams, the older sister of Nation, returning after missing last year with an injury, and junior guard Sanai Branch.
Weitz said the focus has been getting the young players ready to contribute.
“I’m hoping that a couple of our freshmen can surprise us late in the stretch with getting that confidence of being on a championship team,” Weitz said. “… This is definitely what we’re not used to, but, like I said, we’re going to figure it out.”
Weitz had stopped her youth club teams with the Vegas Bulldogs once she started also coaching the Centennial boys team. She said the loss in the title game made her restart those teams.
“Now, you’re kind of trying to mold a bunch of ninth-graders into (how we play). But we’ll get it back in time,” Weitz said. “It wasn’t the ending that we planned on last year, and I just couldn’t stomach ending on a loss.”
Liberty and Coronado should also contend in 5A.
Class 4A
Legacy won the Sky League title and qualified for the state tournament. The Longhorns are the early favorite to win the Southern Region title with returners Alabama Nieves and Laila Gines.
The top Northern schools play in 4A. Legacy lost to eventual state champion Bishop Manogue in the state semifinals, and the Miners are expected to repeat. Rancho, Canyon Springs and Sierra Vista should be in contention for the South’s second spot in the state tournament.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.