Last season the Bishop Gorman girls basketball team lost in the semifinals of the state playoffs, but this year, after an amazing season, they had a chance to compete for a national championship.
After a state championship winning season, the Gaels were one of six teams in the country to be selected to go to Chipotle Nationals. They are the first in Nevada girls basketball history to qualify for this tournament. They traveled to Indiana to face Bullis in the first round of the win-or-go-home style tournament. It was a great trip for the Gaels, as they had various experiences from the tournament sponsors and got to play against some high-level competition.
“It has always been a goal for the program to make it to one of the most prestigious tournaments in the country,” Head Coach K said. “To be tagged as one of the best is a first in the school’s history. It was an experience of a lifetime that we will take with us forever.”
After a hard fought game, the Gaels unfortunately lost 56-72 to Bullis out of Maryland. They practiced hard and played even harder, but it just wasn’t enough.
“It was a very rough game and we got beat because of our physicality,” Aaliah Spaight ‘26 said. “We were not as prepared for that as we would have liked, but we definitely did a lot of game planning and tried our best.”
The team isn’t taking the loss too hard. They are looking at it as a learning experience and something to strive towards for next year.
“I think the game was a great experience for the whole team because it showed us how much better we can be and how much improvement we have to do,” Arianna Brewer ‘29 said. “It opened our eyes to the different levels of this game and that we can always get better and improve.”
Off the court, the Gaels were having a fun time as they went to a Chipotle event and a Gatorade team experience.
“The experience was cool because Chipotle took care of our travel and we got to do an experience at Chipotle and we all had meals. Arianna Brewer ‘29 said. “We even had a Gatorade experience and we got to try all their new products and even get a bunch of gear.”
Even with the tough loss, the Gaels have a lot to be proud of as they have capped off an amazing season. “It makes me very happy to be a part of such a great team and to know that we have made history. Aubrey Johnson ‘28 said. “It shows the toughness that our team has and the bond that we have built and I can’t wait to see what we do next year.”
