PHOENIX — The Arizona high school basketball playoffs tip off in February, marking the second season of the Open Division bracket for both boys and girls. The Open gives the strongest teams out of 4A, 5A, and 6A an opportunity to play in highly competitive matchups in the postseason. Phoenix’s Xavier College Prep, an all-girls Catholic high school, is currently sitting atop the Open Division rankings with aspirations of winning the school’s first basketball championship this year.
XCP’s mission statement is “Women of Faith Pursuing Excellence” and when it comes to athletics, the Gators are among the most decorated in the state.
The Gators have claimed dozens of state championships over the last 40 years, but a girls’ basketball title has eluded them. Xavier’s lost in the semifinals of the playoffs for the last three seasons, but head coach Jennifer Gillom is confident in this senior-heavy group.
“I love teaching. I love developing kids and that's why I think I love it here versus at the professional level,” Gillom said. “It’s such an amazing culture that has been built here. I would love to see it pay off with a championship. I would love to be a part of that history.”
Gillom has accomplished enough for multiple lifetimes. She’s in three Hall of Fames (Arizona Sports, Mississippi Sports, and Women’s Basketball). She’s won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA. She’s played and coached in the WNBA. She and her sister have a sports complex in their name on the campus of their alma mater, Ole Miss. Gillom is one of the Phoenix Mercury’s original and all-time greatest players and has called the Valley home since the WNBA’s inaugural season in 1997.
Mercury fans have lovingly called Gillom “Grandmama” since her playing days but her student-athletes at Xavier know her best as “Coach.” In fact, Grandmama’s celebrity status at Mercury games came as a bit of a surprise to the teenagers.
“One time we went to a Mercury game, and they made her get on the stands and start singing her ‘Mighty Mercury’ song,” Xavier senior captain Dominique Nesland said.
“And they were like, ‘Coach! We know you're famous, but we didn't know you were that famous!’ They don't have a clue,” Gillom said with a laugh.
Gillom got her coaching start at Xavier, leading the girl’s team from 2004-09. She went on to become head coach of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks before returning to XCP to work as an assistant in 2016. Gillom took over Xavier’s program in 2017 and has been impacting the lives of young women ever since through the game of basketball.
“I feel like we've always had that confidence to make it through all the way. I feel this team that we have this year is really strong and very versatile,” Xavier senior captain Sarah Miller said. “She holds us to such a high standard and she expects so much from us. It's up to us to meet that standard.”
“She's tough but every coach is. She's definitely a player's coach. She will cater to your needs. She’s amazing and I'm just excited to see how the season unfolds,” Nesland said.
So far this season, the Gators have gone undefeated against Arizona teams with their toughest test coming in a 59-55 win over the Open Division No. 4 Gilbert Tigers earlier this month. Last season, the Gators lost to the eventual Open Division champions, the Desert Vista Thunder, in the semis of Arizona's first Open Division playoffs.
“They cannot stop thinking about that moment. They want to get back to that moment,” Gillom said. “We might have failed last year but we are prepared. We're ready.”
Gillom’s resume is extensive, and she’s achieved global success, but bringing a basketball championship to Xavier is the next great feat to accomplish.
She says this group of seniors, including captains Nesland and Miller, have worked since their freshman year to achieve something that’s yet to be done at Xavier. Gillom has several medals and championships to her name and she’s hopeful that her young student-athletes can share that experience this year.
The Open Division playoffs begin on Tuesday, Feb. 13 with the State Championship set to be held on Saturday, March 2 at 5 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.
Follow the conversation with Lina Washington on X/Twitter: @LWashingtonTV. If you have a sports story idea, email Lina at LWashington@12News.com.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. The Coyotes play at Mullett Arena on ASU's Tempe campus.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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