Democracy Prep girls basketball emerging as 5A state title contender

Julius Barren is right across the street from where he grew up, coaching the Democracy Prep girls basketball team.

The Western High graduate said his community raised him and he spent most of his time outside of school at West Community Center, where he was introduced to basketball, a sport that “literally saved” him.

Now in his third year at Democracy Prep, Barren said through his love of basketball he’s found his passion to help students in his community get an opportunity to go to college.

“My goal is to grow the program and this community and bring light and let people know about us,” Barren said. “It’s not where you are from. It’s not how you grew up. It’s the work that you put in that can get you to where you want to be.”

While Barren’s focus is greater than the sport, his young squad has embraced its coach’s message while playing great basketball. Democracy Prep, a charter school in North Las Vegas on the Historic Westside, has become one of the top teams in the state, choosing to play in Class 5A when it could have stayed in a lower classification.

After breezing to the 2A state title last season, Democracy Prep has emerged as a 5A title contender among other state powerhouses like Centennial, Bishop Gorman and Liberty.

“It was an adjustment because it became kind of too easy (in 2A),” Barren said. “Now, we have something to chase going to 5A. … My competitive side said, ‘Put us with anybody.’ ”

The Blue Knights (10-4) play at top-ranked Gorman at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. While the competition and league have drastically changed, the on-court goals for Barren and his players haven’t changed.

“We want to win state,” senior guard Mikiah Verdum said.

Last season, Democracy Prep finished 27-3 with four of its wins coming against 5A teams, three of whom were playoff teams. The Blue Knights won each game by an average of 25 points, and their only losses were against out-of-state opponents.

Under rules from the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, a team cannot be realigned and skip a classification. But the NIAA Realignment Committee made the rare move to approve Democracy Prep’s appeal to jump to 5A, citing the team’s success against teams in higher classifications and growing numbers in its girls basketball program.

Democracy Prep was slated to move to 3A, which Barren said he thought was the ceiling for his team, given the high school enrollment of just under 300 students. But Barren said once he found out he could petition to move up, his “competitive nature” kicked in and his players have embraced the step up in competition.

“The girls that play on those teams (in 5A), they take basketball seriously and they’re really good,” senior guard Demi Thompson Lopez said. “It’s more competition and people on the same level.”

It wasn’t an easy jump for Democracy Prep, which lost its best player, sophomore guard and reigning 2A player of the year Keonni Lewis, who tore her ACL in the offseason. Barren said he’s been pleased with how the team has come together to overcome Lewis’ absence, with sophomore guard Bray’ana Miles filling in as the point guard and primary scorer.

Barren said the Blue Knights, who have just two seniors on their roster, want to play fast and aggressive, with full-court pressure defense. Their 5A opponents are getting a taste of that.

Against Desert Pines on Thursday, Democracy Prep held the Jaguars to four first-half points in a 52-23 win in front of a standing-room-only, rambunctious crowd at the school’s small gym.

Barren isn’t building the program by himself. Among his assistants is Sequoia Holmes, a former Mojave High and UNLV standout. Holmes also spent time in the WNBA with the Houston Comets, Phoenix Mercury, San Antonio Stars and Aces.

“(Holmes) gives them the experience and expectation that she’s been through,” Barren said. “What a college coach expects, what a pro looks like. All the habits, she’s firm on them in every aspect.”

Barren and Holmes go back to their youth. Barren said when he was in sixth grade and Holmes was in fourth, the two tried out for the same basketball team that Holmes made and Barren didn’t.

Democracy Prep’s players said they’ve respected Holmes’ dedication to the program.

Holmes “resembles the sisterhood we want to have,” junior guard Madison Smith said. “She’s the best way to explain how we want to be.”

Added Miles: “Even if they don’t think there’s a lot of talent in Las Vegas, (Holmes) proved that there is.”

Barren admitted he puts some pressure on his players to play with a purpose as they lay a foundation for making Democracy Prep girls basketball relevant. He said they might not understand it now, but Barren thinks it will mean more when they look back at the opportunities they’ve created for future players.

“It’s more than winning and losing. It’s us against everybody,” Barren said. “You got to prove the doubters wrong because I hear a lot about us. It hits me a little bit more because I grew up here. Because of this community, that doesn’t mean you can’t be successful. That’s our purpose.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.