PVHS staff and students face off in May 7 basketball game

Familiar faces at Pahrump Valley High School traded hallways for the Main Gym on May 7, when staff and students met for a fast-moving basketball game that doubled as a low-cost campus gathering and a small support event for school programs. With admission set at $3 per person or $5 for a family or household of up to five, the matchup gave Pahrump families an inexpensive way to spend an evening together at 501 E. Calvada Blvd. in Pahrump.

The game was built for pace. Organizers set it for four seven-minute quarters from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., a shorter format than last year’s four eight-minute quarters. The quick turnaround kept the evening light and gave the gym a better chance to stay lively as students watched teachers, coaches and staff members face off against classmates who usually share the same classrooms and campus routines.

The staff side included Trenton Curtis, Mike Abbiss, Toby Henry, Elliott Owens, Cameron Cannon, Brayden Preston, Julius Odegard and Erik Odegard. On the student roster were Luca Blundo, Caden Briscoe, Levi Denton, Lucas Gavenda, TC Hone, Samuel Mendoza, Anthony Montanez, Kamden Moore, Trae Plein, Keir Sheppard, Joshua Slusher, Kristoffer Trejo and Aydon Veloz. The roster mix underscored the event’s larger purpose: giving students a chance to see staff members outside their usual roles and giving teachers and coaches a setting where the rivalry stayed friendly.

That mattered because PVHS has been using these matchups to build more than a scoreline. The school held a staff-vs.-students volleyball fundraiser on March 11, organized by Yearbook Advisor Mr. Curtis, and a basketball fundraiser on April 15, 2025, raised about $230 for the PVHS Yearbook class after students beat staff 66-54. That 2025 game also drew extra attention with halftime entertainment by Garage the Band. Together, the events have become part of a broader pattern of school support tied to student life, yearbook funding and campus morale.

The timing also fit the calendar. Nye County School District lists May 21, 2026, as the last day of school, so the May 7 game landed in the final stretch of the year, when a quick competition, a crowded gym and a few dollars at the door carried extra weight. It matched the school’s own emphasis on collaboration and the district’s stated focus on “Every Student a Success!” while giving the PVHS community one more shared moment before summer break.