TUCSON, Ariz. — The Arizona Wildcats may be out of the NCAA Tournament, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a little bit of Tucson left in the madness.
In 2018, Jordan Gainey was a junior in high school and had just moved to Tucson. For two years, Gainey helped represent Salpointe Catholic basketball. Now, in 2024, he represents not only Salpointe, but Tucson on the biggest stage in college basketball.
Gainey helped lead the Lancers to their first and only state title. He played alongside Arizona Wildcat, Grant Weitman and Sean Miller’s son, Braden Miller.
After high school, Gainey played for South Carolina Upstate before making the transfer to Tennessee, the team where his dad, Justin Gainey, is an assistant coach.
Gainey's Salpointe basketball coach, Jim Reynolds, still keeps track of his players, even in retirement.
“I got ESPN Plus and started watching a lot of their games," Reynolds said. "A lot my sports are kind of following these guys that played still, and I’ll be sad when they’re done.”
The Volunteers are playing in the Sweet Sixteen tonight against Creighton.
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Erin Patterson is a reporter for KGUN 9. She's agraduate of the University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s in News Media with a Sports Concentration. Erin recently obtained her Master's Degree in Sports Journalism from Arizona State University at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, where she gained experience a sports reporter, anchor and producer. Share your story ideas and important issues with Erin by emailing erin.patterson@kgun9.com.
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