Rilee Vargas is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Sunnyslope High School for AZPreps365.com

 

Early morning on June 22, 2025, Arizona Athletic Grounds filled with spectators to watch the championship games. The Court Two bleachers filled quickly in preparation for the AIA state championship game. 

The Sunnyslope Vikings boys basketball warmed up in the corrals along the sidelines dressed in black and green uniforms, preparing for their competition ahead.

In the chairs around the court, recruiters from all over the country carefully chose their spots in search of their next prospect.

Senior guard Rider Portela went on to put up 23 points and eight rebounds for the Vikings in the top bracket championship game. After a strong summer season, Portela's career has skyrocketed with opportunities to play in college. 

“These past two years have been game changing for me, especially this year before club,” Rider said. “I took a major jump, from not being on anyone's radar to who is this kid?”

Rider is entering his four season with the Vikings under his father, head coach Ray Portela, with two state championships in Rider's tenure.

However, Rider said the growth didn't come easy.

“Something that held me back a little bit was my strength,” he said. “The mental side can get a bit rowdy," Rider said. 

Rider always had the talent, with his shifty game and outside scoring, but had to find a way to dig deeper and display it at its fullest potential. 

Ray had coached Sunnyslope boys basketball for over a decade, giving him the experience to help guide Rider throughout his career. 

“After his sophomore year, I kind of just shut up and let him play,” Ray said. “He’s going to make mistakes. I can't correct every single mistake. He's got to learn through stuff on his own.”

From a young age, Rider got into basketball under his father's influence. Rider always had his dad by his side pushing him to go the extra mile. Ray said he wanted Rider to continue with a sport he loved and let Rider make the decision. When it came time for Rider’s freshman year, he decided to dedicate his career to basketball. 

“Over time, my dad kind of saw what I could do with basketball, and he really got me into the gym when I didn't want to,” Rider said.  

Over the past two offseasons, Rider gave basketball his undivided attention. Whether getting shots up or hitting the gym, his goal was to build up his strength as much as possible. This summer, the 6-foot-6 guard committed to the University of Colorado Boulder. 

Ray held him accountable with his training and instilled in Rider what it takes to be successful in his sport.

“I got better each year, knowing what I needed to work on, what I'm good at,” Rider said. 

While Rider focuses on his personal career, he doesn't let that get in the way of supporting his teammates. His leadership and support are among his best strengths, Ray said, and has carried Rider on and off the court. 

“It’s so much more than just the athletic abilities and what he does for putting the ball through the hoop,” Ray said. “The things that he does to raise the level of our play as a team, that's what I'm proud of the most.”