Luck can fortify fortunes

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When the high school basketball season officially opens Friday night, several talented area teams will begin their quests for region and state titles.

But no matter how skilled the teams, one other ingredient could be the deciding factor: luck.

Good teams make their own breaks, but sometimes even a good team needs the ball to bounce its way. Just ask Mojave coach Tony Hopkins or Bishop Gorman coach Grant Rice.

Mojave finished second in state last year, losing 54-51 to Galena in the Class 4A title game. But the Rattlers were one bounce away from not making the playoffs.

Mojave needed a win over Palo Verde on the final night of the regular season, and the game went into overtime after the Panthers missed a put-back at the end of regulation. The Rattlers won 67-62 in two OTs and then won their first two postseason games by a total of three points.

Hopkins’ team is experienced this year, with just one of the team’s starters having graduated. But he knows how fortunate his team was a year ago.

“(The players) knowing each other means we may have an opportunity to be better than we were last year,” Hopkins said. “But we may not be as lucky as we were last year.

“Our season realistically should have ended last year at Palo Verde.”

Gorman was on the other end of the spectrum when it came to luck. Seven of the team’s 11 losses came by three points or fewer, including a one-point loss to Mojave in the first round of the Sunset Region tournament.

“We just couldn’t catch a break,” Rice said. “We lost seven games by one possession. With the experience of the guys coming back, I’m hoping we can be on the positive side of some of those games this year.”

Mojave and Gorman should have the chance to make some of their own breaks this season.

The Rattlers lost all-state guard Donte Poole to graduation but return a terrific backcourt combo in point guard Darian Norris and shooting guard Anthony Marshall.

Norris, who signed with South Carolina State, averaged 18.8 points and 7.6 assists per game last season in gaining second-team all-state honors. And Marshall might turn out to be better than Norris and Poole, with the latter having averaged 21.6 points.

Marshall, a 6-foot-3-inch junior, averaged 14.4 points in the regular season last year but became the team’s go-to guy in the second half of the state title game. Hopkins thinks Marshall is ready to have a breakout year.

“Anthony’s ready to announce that he is the best player in the state,” Hopkins said. “He can play. Anthony can flat-out play.”

Gorman returns virtually its entire lineup from last season, led by senior point guard Kevin Loyd (10 points, 7.5 assists) and wings Quintin Dailey (14 points, 6 rebounds) and Blake Moore (14 points).

Rice calls junior guard Kylel Coleman, who played on the junior varsity last season after transferring from Las Vegas, “the most athletic kid I’ve ever coached.”

While Mojave and Gorman look like the favorites in the Sunset Region, defending Sunrise champion Canyon Springs should be strong again.

Utah State signee Deremy Geiger (15.2 points, 4 assists) returns along with athletic forwards Juron Criner (11.7 points, 5 rebounds) and Raveon Samuel (13 points, 6 rebounds) to try to lead the Pioneers back to the state tournament.

Eldorado, which was bolstered by Canyon Springs transfer Mike Elliott, should push the Pioneers in the Northeast Division.

Foothill graduated one player from last year’s Southeast Division title team and should be in the mix for a league title. Coronado, with a starting lineup featuring four players between 6-4 and 6-8, also looks like a strong contender.

Contact Prep Sports Editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-4587.