LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In a historic season for the Bishop Gorman High School basketball program, both the girls and boys basketball teams are NIAA Class 5A state champs.
Both teams had to overcome adversity before getting to hoist the trophy.
"It's a great feeling. I mean, we deserved it and I feel like both teams worked really hard," said senior guard Mya Ruiz.
Both teams faced an uphill climb this season on their path to the state title, with both taking down the no. 1 team in Class 5A.
"Our mindset was just different than theirs. We were just hungry for it this year and it came different," said senior shooting guard Sydney Chesnut.
The championship run made history this season.
Since the 1967-77 season, there have only been two schools in the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association's highest class (Class 5A currently) to win both boys and girls basketball state titles in the same year. Rancho High School won in 1977 and Bishop Gorman did it both in 2010 and now 2024. Bishop Gorman is the first school in nearly five decades to do it twice.
"It's just a really big honor to be able to say that we made history like that," Chesnut said.
This was the boys basketball program's 23rd state title and the girls' fifth state championship. The boys haven't won since 2020 and the girls haven't won since 2010.
Both teams say this win means a lot — especially since the girls had to get past Centennial, a team that has taken over girls basketball in the state with eight straight title wins before this year.
"We were just honored and blessed to be in that position to be able to knock off one of the best teams in the country," said Bishop Gorman girls basketball head coach Sheryl Krmpotich.
The championship spirit spread around the entire campus. Both teams were rooting each other on throughout the season.
"You know we walked around school talking to the girls team, saying 'hey, champs,' and it's just such a good feeling.We love seeing them win," said freshman wing and post player Kameron Cooper.
"We became family, and it was just a big deal that we made it here," Chesnut said.
Winning a state title in 2024 is not the final goal, though.
"We're not done. We're just getting started," said freshman guard and forward Ilan Nikolov.
"I feel like as long as we work hard and I continue to improve my team mentally and physically in this sport, we have a great chance of winning," said sophomore point guard Aaliah Spaight.
According to both teams' rosters, there are 11 players each who could return to run it back again for the Gaels next season.
