Eve McFarland is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Mesquite High School for AZPreps365.com

Inspiration can be found from those held near the heart. Experiencing growth with such leaders is why Navae Guidry and Kahlia Gonzales have an impact on and off the basketball court. 

The imprint Mesquite senior forward Navae left on her younger sister carried through the little things. 

When Navae watched film, she would find her sister, Naliyah, taking the lead of cheering on the bench and switching roles to support during difficult times. 

“Whenever we're in timeouts and she can see that I'm in my head, she will come over and give me a little bit of advice, just like help me get through the next few minutes,” Navae said. 

The duo have been attending the same school since the third and fifth grade. But, basketball was first introduced to Naliyah at 10 years old. A year later, when Navae immersed herself into the sport, Naliyah was inspired by her older sister’s passion for the game. 

“I want to be like that,” said Naliyah, a sophomore guard. “Seeing her grow and become this great player that she is, it just was amazing. I want to follow in her footsteps.”

Admiring the strengths of Kahlia Gonzales, her younger sister Skylie aspires to adopt the senior point guard skills in passing and court vision. 

Being a role model can be difficult. Kahlia always had the best intentions for her younger sister, even in frustrating teaching moments during practice. 

I get a little mad at her, but other than that, it does help me,” said sophomore guard Skylie. “So at the end of the day, what she's saying to me, the things she's helping me with and just pushing me to be the best player I can be.”

Driving home after practice, talking about making improvements for the next day are Skylie’s favorite moments with her older sister. 

To be the best player involves working hard and understanding the personnel on the team. For the Guidry and Gonzales sisters, they had years of experience by playing on the same basketball club, Team Arizona. 

Channeling the connection between each other changed the game perspective for them. The bond and chemistry made an easier transition into their successful high school careers. 

“It's like playing with your best friends, honestly,” Kahlia said. “Growing up and playing the game, it helps. The chemistry gets better and it's really fun to play with them.”

“They (Kahlia and Skylie) bring a smile to your face every day,” Naliyah said. “They just work so hard and they push you every day.”

Led by example in work ethic, Candice Gonzlaes, mother of Kahlia and Skylie, coached her daughters along with the Guidry sisters on Team Arizona. Working with Gonzales has shaped them to feed off of each other and leverage their camaraderie into high school.

Gonzales, who is also head coach of the Mesquite girls basketball program, was Navae’s reason to play with the Wildcats. Everybody wants to win, but Navae said Gonzales pushes the team to exceed their goals. 

“When you do everything with the right people, it just makes more of a difference,” Navae said. “I feel like coach, like she's like a second mom.” 

Setting boundaries with Kahlia and Skylie is vital to separate the mother-daughter dynamic from work. But trust in their coach’s teaching style has boosted their game. Gonzales’ long-standing experience as a former player has translated into encouragement to be the best because she accomplished it.

She attended Gilbert High School and won two state championships. In her collegiate career, Gonzales set a record in career scoring average and total points at Grand Canyon University. 

Overcoming the adversity of a broken ankle and red-shirting junior year, Gonzales was named California Collegiate Athletic Association first team all-conference and Player of the Year her senior year. 

The altering season of working to get back on the court by practicing with her future husband triggered the competitive drive to win. The comeback and observations from sitting on the bench are a contributing factor to Gonzales’ coaching. 

Her coaching career began in 1999, but multitasking as mother of five athletic children and leading Mesquite’s girls varsity basketball team raised doubts about whether she could continue. When Gonzales and her husband sat down with their two oldest children to discuss the situation, she was caught by a special moment with her 12-year-old basketball-loving daughter.

“She (Shaylee) looked at me dead in the face and said, ‘No, you're not.’ I'm coming to Mesquite. I'm going to win a state championship with you,” Gonzales said.

And she kept her word.

Gonzales and Shaylee won the 5A State Championship in 2016-2017, the program’s first title in its 20-year history. 

Kahlia, motivated by her oldest sister’s fight and dedication as a current overseas basketball player, pushes her to be better every day. 

“She's (Shaylee) one of my biggest inspirations and I really look up to her in the game,” Kahlia said. 

The success of the Mesquite girls basketball program dominated the Desert Sky Region as undefeated (10-0) this season. 

The list of accolades continues to stack for Gonzales for achieving 500 career wins, and she was named Coach of the Year in the region this season. Navae Guidry was named Desert Sky Region Player of the Year and Kahlia earned Co-Defensive Player of the Year. 

In hopes to redeem last year’s loss in the 2024 AIA Girls Basketball Open State championship game, the Wildcats fell short, 42-40, by a buzzer beater floater Thursday night in a quarterfinal game against Pinnacle. 

“I was really upset knowing that my season was over with her (Kahlia),” Skylie said. “That was just like a big thing I was thinking about all season, our last game together because she's always my biggest inspiration.”

Despite the outcome, the No. 7 ranked high school girls basketball team had the school’s second most successful season, posting a 27-2 record. 

The 2017 Wildcats champions finished with an overall record of 31-1. 

“She told us yesterday that even though we didn't get the ring that we wanted, she will only be proud of us because of what we did,” Navae said. “And all the time that we spent, just like with each other and, like, wanting to play the game. And I feel like that’s more than you could wish for.”

The bittersweet moment of leaving Mesquite High School opens the path to further their basketball careers. Youngest siblings Naliyah and Skylie, saddened by their departure, know their next steps will lead to greatness. 

While Navae Guidry is narrowing down her college choice, Kahlia Gonzales committed to Pima Community College and she will continue the family affair with her older brother. 

“I couldn't have chosen two more amazing humans to be my point guard and my big man,”  Gonzales said. “It's been a real privilege to be able to coach them.”