Nevada H.S Basketball Team Preview: Bonanza Bengals
When it comes to basketball in the state of Nevada, Kevin Soares’ contributions are legendary. The Bonanza HC is a 2- time state champion at Bishop Gorman, and the 1992 Big Sky player of the year. He left school as…
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Continue ReadingWhen it comes to basketball in the state of Nevada, Kevin Soares’ contributions are legendary. The Bonanza HC is a 2- time state champion at Bishop Gorman, and the 1992 Big Sky player of the year. He left school as the Big Sky’s all – time leader in assist and steals. Soares still holds the Big Sky’s career assist record. (To put that in perspective Kevin Soares had more assist in college than Damian Lillard.) In his 19 years at Foothills he took them from a brand new school, to a conference powerhouse. Now he finds himself at Bonanza, and as luck would have it, he’s walking into a team with a nice collection of talent. In this article PH looks at some that talent.
Head Coach:
Kevin Soares 1st Season
Conference: 4A Desert
Key Returners:
Kendall Burrell 6’0 PG 2020 (#29 PHN 2020) – Kendall Burrell is a bucket. Doesn’t matter if it comes in catch or shoot, off the bounce, or drives through the lane. Burrell puts the ball in the hole. Great mid – range game. He creates space with his quickness and can stop on a dime. You can call him a combo, but I prefer to think of him as a scoring PG. He has the ability to get others involved, however last season he was needed as a primary scorer. Burrell is a 3.5 student and has had interest from several high academic D3 and NAIA schools.
Nico Diaz 5’11 PG 2021 – Diaz was Burrell’s running mate last season. A knock down shooter Diaz provides excellent floor spacing. He shot %40 from behind the arc as a sophomore.
Baylee Osborn 5’11 SG 2020– Osborn is another one of the team’s lethal shooters. He shot over %80 from the line last season. Good shot preparation. Osborn has good mechanics, and follow through on his shot. With the new talent on the team, Osborn is likely to see more open looks.
Key Newcomers:
Chris Dockery (Featured image) 6’5 SF 2021 – Dockery comes over to the team from Centennial. He provides instant scoring, and is the perfect fit next to Burrell. Long wing defender that excels at creating offense from defense. Versatile player that will probably spend time at all 5 positions.
Dontrell Johnson 6’3 PF 2022 (#7 PHN 2022) – Johnson is one of the most talented players in the class of 2022. Strong driver that finishes well around the rim. Johnson’s a good athlete that’s looks like he’s improved his vertical. Most of his baskets are going to come in the paint, however he’s developing his outside shot. He’ll provide instant rebounding, and defensive versatility. (Johnson hasn’t been cleared for varsity as of 9/20/2019)
Riley deWit 6’6 PF 2021 – deWit will provide size, rebounding and rim protection. He played JV last season. This summer he competed on the Addidas Gauntlet circuit with the Las Vegas Knicks. Raw developing player, deWit stands to benefit the most under the tutelage of Soares.
Top Prospect: Chris Dockery – Dockery has already been making his way up both local and national rankings. The 6’5 wing is long, wiry and has a ton of potential. Good athlete that can defend multiple positions. His offensive skill – set is still developing. While Dockery may not yet have a signature skill he does several things well. His future is directly tied to his work ethic. If he gets physically stronger, and continues to work on his offensive game, he’s a D1 player.