5A girls basketball 2OT title game named Nevada Preps game of the year

Bishop Gorman’s girls basketball team had beaten some of the top high school teams in the country and were ranked nationally throughout this past season, but there was still revenge to be had in the state tournament.

A year after losing to Democracy Prep in overtime in the 2025 5A state semifinals to knock off the then-defending state champion Gaels, the two teams met again in February for the 5A state title.

For Gorman, losing was not an option.

“Because we had lost the previous year, it wasn’t an option. We had to win,” said rising senior guard Addy Carr.

Gorman got its revenge. In a back-and-forth, physical game, in front of a full gym at Valley High School, the Gaels rallied from a second-half deficit to outlast Democracy Prep 79-76 in double overtime to win the 5A state title.

For the Gaels’ resilience shown in a battle of the two top girls basketball teams in the state, their victory in the title game was named the Nevada Preps Game of the Year.

“It was exciting. The team trusted each other,” Gorman coach Sheryl Krmpotich said. “That was the main thing, is that we had five people in double-figures (scoring). It’s hard to defend that. They worked for each other. We played great (defense). We were down 13 at one point and we never quit.

“We knew we weren’t playing our style, our brand of basketball. Once we got int that mindset of we got to get to get our crap together, we were a different beast.”

‘Get it together’

Gorman and Democracy Prep were headed on a collision course for the state title, after Democracy Prep, the 2025 5A state runner-up, blew out Centennial in the state quarterfinals.

The 5A title game on Feb. 20 quickly filled up the gym at Valley, leaving few seats in the high school gym and fewer parking spots. The early momentum was on Gorman’s side as the Gaels lead 20-13 after the first quarter.

But Democracy Prep closed the first half on a 10-0 run, which ended on a steal of a Gorman inbound pass underneath the basket for an easy score and the Gaels went into halftime trailing 39-29. Democracy Prep outscored Gorman 26-9 in the second quarter.

Krmpotich said there was a bit of a “deer in the headlights” look to her team and added that Democracy Prep took the Gaels out of their game. The coach said she told her team to take things in two-minute increments to get back into their flow.

“It was no option to lose,” rising sophomore Arianna Brewer said. “We knew after halftime we had to get it together, so we stayed together and did whatever we had to do to make sure we won.”

‘The girls showed up’

Gorman’s depth shined in the second half as it dug out of the deficit. The Gaels used a 6-2 run to cut the deficit to 52-50 at the end of the third quarter.

Gorman and Democracy Prep traded the lead in the fourth quarter. Kenzee Holton made a late layup to tie the game at 65-65 to force the first overtime.

Brewer, who had struggled in the first half, came up with a pair of free throws with 8.4 seconds left in the first overtime to force the second overtime.

Texas commit Aaliah Spaight came up with a pair of baskets in the second overtime, as the Gaels led 77-73 late in the second overtime. Then Brewer came up with two clutch free throws with 12.2 seconds to ice a 79-76 victory for the Gaels.

“I had a rough first quarter, first half, because it was new. it was a new atmosphere,” Brewer said. “I was really nervous, but my teammates really helped me stay composed, and before I’m shooting free throws, (Carr’s) telling me, ‘You got it.’ “It really helped knowing my teammates trust me and that they know I could make those shots.”

Spaight, in her final game for the Gaels, scored a game-high 25 points as she was carried off by the Gorman fans. Carr added 15 points and Brewer scored 12. Aubrey Johnson scored 13 points and Holton finished with 11.

“You prepare all year for that,” Krmpotich said. “We were scrimmaging (freshman boys) the whole time, trying to prepare for that game, but you can never prepare for that. The spectators were directly on (the court). It was very tight. You can’t prepare for that. I thought the girls showed up, showed out and played Gorman basketball.”

New rivalry

It’s the second title in the past three seasons for the Gaels, who finished the season with a 23-4 record and ranked No. 13 nationally by MaxPreps. It was another chapter added in the budding rivalry between Gorman and Democracy Prep.

Gorman defeated Democracy Prep in the 2024 5A state semifinals on its way to the title, and Democracy Prep beat Gorman twice in the 2025-26 season. The rivalry has coincided with Democracy Prep’s jump from 2A to 5A for the 2024 season, and Krmpotich’s return to the sidelines that same season after leading Gorman to four titles in her first stint (1999-2016).

“It’s all respect to (Democracy Prep),” Carr said. “We don’t have any hatred towards them whatsoever. It’s a very respected rivalry. We played with them for a really long time off of the high school floor, but I felt like that is what fueled the gym. It fueled the atmosphere.”

Even though Gorman loses Spaight, the Gaels return most of their roster and Krmpotich added they will get some players back from injury and some new incoming freshmen.

And Democracy Prep is expected to return a strong team, which could create a thrilling sequel in February.

“Last year, we were the hunters. Now we’re being hunted,” said Krmpotich said, who has won 541 games and six state titles leading the Gaels.

“We have to have a different focus. We have to have a different mindset and locking into every day every time we’re together of being one unit and one team and playing hard every game, every day.”