We continue our 2013-14 team previews with an in-depth look at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), a program looking for that signature victory to catapult it towards the top of the Student Sports FAB 50. Throughout October, we’ll preview many of the top teams from across the country as a countdown to the release of our preseason 2013-14 Student Sports FAB 50.
Note: All information that follows came from a questionnaire that was sent to and returned by the school’s head coach. If you would like your school to be profiled, please return the questionnaire that was mailed out earlier this month or it can be filled out online.
The information can also be emailed to editor Ronnie Flores: ronnie@studentsports.com. StudentSportsBasketball.com thanks the programs that have submitted information.
Team Name: Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Head Coach: Grant Rice (319-63)
2012-13 Record: 29-3, 23-0 (J.V.)
Final Ranking: No. 11 (FAB 50) No. 4 (West Region)
Returning Starters: 3
Returning Lettermen: 10
Players Most Deserving of Preseason Honors: C/F Stephen Zimmerman 7-0 2015 (No. 3 Hoop Scoop Top 100, Student Sports Underclass All-American), F Chase Jeter 6-10 2015 (No. 13 Hoop Scoop Top 100), PG Noah Robotham 6-0 2014 (Idaho, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, UC-Davis offers).
Newcomers Who Could Make An Impact: SF Chase Noma’aea 6-6 2016.
Coach’s General Outlook: I like our team because of our size and our ability to defend. We have a lot of firepower up front and we have skilled bigs. We can also play man or frustrate teams with our zone as we showed in last year’s state title game. What I’m concerned with is replacing our perimeter scoring. We have talented perimeter players, but we have to find dependable scoring to take the pressure off our bigs.
Events Scheduled To Play In: Hoophall West (Phoenix, Ariz.) vs. Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) vs. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), Tarkanian Classic (Las Vegas), Les Schwab Invitational (Portland, Ore.), Cancer Research Classic (Wheeling, W. Va.) vs. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.).
Team(s) On Schedule Deserving of Ranking: Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), Whitney Young (Chicago), Rainier Beach (Seattle),
StudentSportsBasketball.com Comments: The Gaels have been on quite a run in recent seasons, dominating Nevada’s NIAA schools. For the first time since the 2007-08 season, however, they won’t have a Muhammad (Shabazz and Rashad) on the roster and they need someone to step up to keep defenses honest. Zimmerman really made big strides last season and is a surefire All-American candidate this season. If he becomes more assertive, he can even be a Mr. Basketball USA candidate. At times last season, the offense drifted from him, but the Gaels can’t afford to not take advantage of their advantage in the post in its big games. Bishop Gorman is a heavy favorite to win another NIAA title, but its season from a national perspective will hinge on its performance during a month stretch between December 15 to January 15.
Fast Fact: Coach Grant Rice is the younger brother of current UNLV coach Dave Rice, whose son Travis (2016) is on the team at Gorman. Jeter’s father, Chris, played for Jerry Tarkanian at UNLV. Grant Rice played for George Tarkanian, Jerry’s son, at Chaffey College in Southern California. The future of the program also looks bright with an unbeaten freshman team moving up and some talented freshmen joining the program, among them guard Chris Popoola Jr. (6-1) and wing Charles O’Bannon Jr. (6-4). Popoola is the son of the former UNLV player and current West Coast talent scout and O’Bannon’s father was a two-time Student Sports All-American at Artesia (Lakewood, Calif.).
Send corrections or comments to ronnie@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment that others can check out.
RELATED: FAB 50 Consideration Form
2013-2014 Team Previews
Desert Pines (Las Vegas) CLICK HERE
Rainier Beach (Seattle) CLICK HERE
Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) CLICK HERE
Damien (La Verne, Calif.) CLICK HERE
Jeffersonville (Jeffersonville, Ind.) CLICK HERE
Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.) CLICK HERE
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) CLICK HERE
La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.) CLICK HERE
Math, Civics & Sciences Charter (Philadelphia) CLICK HERE
Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) CLICK HERE
Etiwanda (Etiwanda, Calif.) CLICK HERE
St. Rita (Chicago) CLICK HERE
Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) CLICK HERE
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) CLICK HERE
Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.) CLICK HERE
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