Season Preview: Bishop Gorman

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Coaching Staff</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grant Rice - Head Coach</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mike Wright - Assistant Coach</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jimmy Gleich - Assistant Coach</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rich Thornton - Assistant Coach </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Last Season</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Gaels went 24-5 during the regular season and were 9-2 in league play. Two of their regular season losses came against Coronado and Liberty. However Bishop Gorman got their revenge in the playoffs. Taking down both teams, and also taking the state championship trophy. It was an incredible playoff run for them. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Back To Back?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I asked [player_tooltip player_id='986960' first='Nick' last='Jefferson'] how they were able to turn things around in the playoffs and the first thing he said was "defense". He went on to say that once the team picked up their intensity and effort on defense they were unstoppable. Going into this season Jefferson and the Gaels will continue to emphasize defense. They have shooting and athleticism just about everywhere on the court. Washington, Cooper, Nikolov, Jefferson, Roberts, and Carmona all return. Plus they added 6'9 transfer Christopher Baudreu and some skilled freshman. If they play defense like they did last season in the playoffs, they should find themselves in the state championship again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1511462"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673f6ceb308d7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Washington will be joining the team once his football season wraps up on Tuesday next week. The junior is the #1 player in the class of 2026 and has some elite athleticism that few have. He is a matchup nightmare for most defenders in the state, and can score at will. Washington is also a lock down defender. Bishop Gorman has already looked good in preseason play, and now they become even more dangerous. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["986960"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673f6ceb30829"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The veteran and leader of the Gaels is hungry for another state championship. He has true floor general traits, and gets it done on both ends of the court. With all of the scoring options Bishop Gorman has, he should be able to rack up a ton of assists this year. On defense, Jefferson comes up with a lot of steals, and can really push transition thanks to his ability to accelerate. If he can put together another stellar season, he may be in contention for Gatorade Player of The Year. Look for him to also be one of Nevada's next Division I commits. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1315766"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673f6ceb30865"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Baudreau is back in the blue and orange, and would like to finish high school basketball with a ring. He stands at 6'9 and will be huge for the Gael's on defense. If he can grab rebounds at a high clip, the Gaels should be able to limited second chances. On offense, the Bishop Gorman guards will look to feed him in the paint when he has good matchups or off of drive and dishes. At the moment his recruitment is still open. But he has some interest going and a couple of offers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1965274"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673f6ceb30786"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Nikolov is Bishop Gorman's sharpshooter and can hit multiple 3-pointers a game. He has a high IQ and moves off the ball well to get catch and shoot opportunities. When it comes to his defense, he uses his size and length to his advantage. Expect him to be a very big contributor for the Gaels this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2370258"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673f6ceb3089e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Roberts played with intensity and competed hard during The Border League Tournament. If he can play that way all year, he should put up some decent stats for the Gaels. I also think he may be due for a bump up in the rankings soon. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1534009"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","fullHeight":true,"anchor":"acf-block-673f6ceb30911"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Carmona can get up and has the ability to throw down some impressive dunks. He also sets himself up well for opportunities by timing his cuts. In addition to his high flying skills, he also plays some quality defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2047786"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673f6ceb307e8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2047786' first='Kameron' last='Cooper'] has looked great this fall. He seems to have found his shot from beyond the 3-point line and also did some interior scoring in The Border League tournament. I also noted that he was playing some high level defense and covers ground at a rapid rate. I'm excited to see how his game continues to evolve this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2370259"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673f6ceb3094a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">"Trey" is one of the top players in the 2028 class. He knows how to operate on the offensive end, and can hit both pull-up jumpers and inside shots consistently. He can also snags a lot of rebounds and occasionally comes up with blocks. It seems like he may be fighting for minutes on a very deep Bishop Gorman team. But he should be ready to play when needed. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2086139"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673f895755aaa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Johnson will be a valuable piece for Bishop Gorman this season. He has blazing speed and can push transition. I also believe he'll be a great defender for BG this season. He's extremely active with his hands and plays passing lanes like a defensive back in football. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rounding Out The Roster </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brenden Bejaoui - G - 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dylan Unkelbach - G - 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Andrew Mehri - G - 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nikash Garg - G - 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2450360' first='Noah' last='Grossman'] - G - 2028</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Braylon Williams - F - 2028</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>From A Recruiting Standpoint</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Legitimate D1 talent at every position. Just about every guy can shoot and defend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->