Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 | 2 a.m.
Editor’s note: This article is translated into English.
Many of us who arrived at Valley High School for the large-school state basketball tournament Wednesday encountered a familiar urban frustration: There was nowhere to park.
We scattered around, competing for a spot on the sidewalk and walking together.
The conversation quickly reached a consensus: Holding the state tournament at Valley High School was a step backward, and not just because of parking.
Across the country, state high school sports associations host their tournaments at iconic venues (college stadiums, professional facilities) that bring together rural and urban communities to celebrate prep sports, the activity we care so much about for what it brings to young people. Nevada deserves the same.
Tonight, Valley will host the state championship games: Bishop Gorman’s girls team will take on Democracy Prep at 5 p.m., followed by the boys’ title game between Coronado and Liberty at 7 p.m.
Valley has a genuine charm.
It’s centrally located, has the best high school court in Las Vegas, and those brick walls adorned with Greg Maddux and Freddie Banks jerseys exude a warmth that newer venues rarely replicate.
Valley has hosted Team USA training camps and major college tournaments; was, without a doubt, the best option available once the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association was unable to obtain a stadium.
Las Vegas has no shortage of venues, including UNLV and the Orleans Arena, former site of the state basketball tournament. But a combination of scheduling and cost conflicts brought the NIAA to the Valley.
A source told the Sun that one venue was asking for $50,000 a day for the four days of the tournament, which also includes sports director development meetings. This year, those meetings are held in northern Nevada, where lower-level tournaments are also held at area high schools.
This is not a criticism of the NIAA. We share a common goal: to see Nevada’s student-athletes thrive.
The semifinal match between Gorman and Coronado was played in a packed gym and generated real energy, and there’s something to be said for an intimate venue versus a larger stadium dotted with empty seats.
But it’s a reminder that these kids deserve better, something the NIAA will be the first to confirm.
There are generous people in this state who could sponsor the state tournament. The request simply has to be more creative, more persistent and more relentless.
Organizing these events is, at least from the perspective of the players, the main goal of the association. That means getting the right location can’t be an afterthought. It should be a priority throughout the year. Whatever the intention, this year the NIAA fell short.
Wednesday’s scene also had its comical moments. The baskets on the side courts hung partially lowered, with fans wedged awkwardly beneath them. The scoreboard was an eyesore: too low to accommodate the announcer, referees and media at the same time.
A small side table was added next to it, but even that was not enough to solve the space problem.
The concession stand, as always at a preparatory event, was a big draw: there is simply nothing better than a hot dog at the stadium. But Valley only offered two lines, and the long wait became a problem. The bathrooms told a similar story: crowded and, unsurprisingly, not designed to handle a crowd of this size.
We hope that tonight’s championship matches offer us everything we expect: close finishes and moments worth remembering. The location may not be ideal, but for the players who step on that court, the only thing that matters is the opportunity.
We will cheer on all four teams. And, selfishly, also to have a decent place to park.
Once the NIAA hands out the championship trophies tonight, the countdown to a better spot will begin, for next season and all the seasons after that.
[email protected] / 702-990-2662 / @raybrewer21
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