The 5 Best Games I Saw In Person This Year

While I don't have an exact count of how many games I attended in person this season, it's safe to say I was at 60+. (Including the games at the Tarkanian Classic)   In this article, I break down the five best games I saw live, along with a few honorable mentions at the end. (In no particular order, as they were all great games)     1. Democracy Prep vs Desert Pines - The first-round playoff matchup between Democracy Prep and Desert Pines was an absolute barnburner. Everything you want in a postseason battle.   Fans from both sides made their presence felt, and a strong media turnout added to the atmosphere. The intensity matched the stage. Both teams traded haymakers throughout. While the star players like: [player_tooltip player_id='2122232' first='Kaden' last='Arnold'], [player_tooltip player_id='1667943' first='Zyon' last='Harris'], [player_tooltip player_id='2468244' first='Jaden' last='Redding'], [player_tooltip player_id='2374347' first='Aaron' last='McMorran II'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2111894' first='Tyler' last='Merto'] kept the crowd on its feet.   Down the stretch, it was Desert Pines that surged ahead, grabbing a late lead after trailing for much of the contest. But the Blue Knights responded with poise in the final minute.   [player_tooltip player_id='2374248' first='Dashaun' last='Harris'] delivered the dagger moment. Poking the ball free on the defensive end, before calmly knocking down two free throws to seal it.   A crazy playoff game from start to finish.   Final Score - Democracy Prep 61 vs Desert Pines 59   2. Somerset Losee vs Legacy - This was probably my favorite game I attended all season from an atmosphere standpoint.   The moment I walked into the gym, it was packed. DJ Sam Sneed had the speakers blasting, and you could feel the tension building toward tip-off. It had the energy of a big-time matchup before the ball was even in the air.   Legacy fed off that early. They stormed out to a sizable lead and Micah Cazar had the crowd buzzing with his stellar shooting. But Losee refused to fold. They chipped away in the second half and made a serious push in the closing minutes behind [player_tooltip player_id='2477281' first='DJ' last='Hunter'] and [player_tooltip player_id='3243670' first='Jake' last='Bunyan']'s playmaking.   The Lions nearly completed the comeback.   But Legacy held on, escaping with a 75–74 win in between to North Las Vegas “rivals”. A couple of other notable Legacy standouts were: [player_tooltip player_id='2288366' first='Jordyn' last='Perdue'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2806784' first='Zayden' last='Jeffries'].   3. Bishop Gorman vs. Santa Margarita – This was one of the most competitive games of the year.   Santa Margarita entered with serious firepower, featuring three senior Division I commits: Kaden Bailey, Drew Anderson, and Brayden Kyman. On paper, it looked like a tall task.   But Bishop Gorman answered the bell all night.   The Gaels did an excellent job of keeping things tight, matching Santa Margarita possession for possession. [player_tooltip player_id='2086139' first='Tyler' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='2370258' first='Dino' last='Roberts'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2047786' first='Kameron' last='Cooper'] all stepped up, performing well on both ends.   It was clear Santa Margarita was pushed far more than they anticipated.   Gorman forced overtime. Still, neither side could create separation. The game then went to double overtime before the Eagles finally broke through and pulled away.   Although Bishop Gorman didn't come away with the win, the Gaels proved they could run with one of California's premier programs.   Final Score: Santa Margarita 86 vs Bishop Gorman 79 (2OT)   4. Durango vs Centennial - In a 4A vs. 5A matchup, Durango and Centennial went toe to toe in a hard-fought battle. Durango seized momentum at times behind their guard play from [player_tooltip player_id='2302752' first='Elijah' last='Outlaw McDaniel'] and Marshal Outlaw. But Centennial refused to fold, trimming the deficit to two with just over a minute remaining. Before eventually tying the game in the last minute.   With 25 seconds left, Durango called timeout but couldn't generate the look they wanted. After regrouping again with eight seconds remaining, head coach Devin Matthews put the ball in RJ Riley's hands.   Then with the game on the line, Riley brought it up the floor and spotted a lane. He attacked downhill. As defenders converged from everywhere, he lofted a floater over the outstretched arms of the defense.   It dropped at the buzzer.   An electric ending, and a signature win for the Durango Trailblazers.   Final Score - Durango 67 vs Centennial 65   5. 5A Championship Game – The hype surrounding the title matchup was very real.   Coronado entered the season as the team to beat, boasting a loaded roster that looked championship-caliber from day one. Liberty, meanwhile, was a senior-heavy group that steadily improved as the year progressed and hit its stride at the right time.   The Patriots won the regular-season meeting after erasing a Coronado halftime lead. So redemption was on the Cougars' minds and the stage was set.   Under the bright lights, many of the state's top players rose to the occasion. The teams were evenly matched, and the intensity reflected it. The game then shifted in the second half when Coronado began to assert control. [player_tooltip player_id='1707488' first='Demari' last='Hunter'] was doing it all, [player_tooltip player_id='1406767' first='Munir' last='Greig'] made defenders pay consistently, and [player_tooltip player_id='2484289' first='Devaughn' last='Dorrough'] was getting open on the block.   Still, Liberty refused to back down. The Patriots battled to the final possession and nearly forced overtime thanks to the efforts of [player_tooltip player_id='1493480' first='Dante' last='Steward'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1463230' first='Tyus' last='Thomas'].   It was a fitting championship game for an outstanding 2025–2026 season.     Final Score - Coronado 60 vs Liberty 55     Honorable Mentions   Las Vegas 63 vs Losee 59 (OT)   Legacy 69 vs Las Vegas 67 (Playoffs)   Foothill 64 vs Las Vegas 60   Coronado 70 vs Corona Centennial 63 (CA) (OT)   Desert Pines 75 vs Democracy Prep 69 (regular season)

While I don't have an exact count of how many games I attended in person this season, it's safe to say I was at 60+. (Including the games at the Tarkanian Classic)