Girls Basketball:

By Brian Reed-Baiotto

Glendora High School was established in 1905, but the school building wasn’t constructed until 1958.

The first graduating class totaled 188 students in 1959.

Since the beginning, GHS athletic programs have enjoyed their share of success.

The Glendora girls’ basketball team, though, hadn’t won a league championship in the school’s nearly 60-year history, let alone a CIF-SS championship.

Adam Nunemaker, a seven-year JV coach and varsity assistant at Centennial Corona was hired to take over the program for the 2015-16 season.

Since his arrival, the Tartans have won or shared five league titles in the last eight years.

In just his second year, Glendora made an unexpected trip to the CIF-SS Division 3AA title game.

Thousand Oaks got in the Tartans path to history with a 62-52 victory.

It’s rare that a program makes back-to-back title-game appearances, but GHS did just that in 2017-18.

They secured the program its first CIF-SS title with a 47-35 victory over Downey in the D-2A title game.

Glendora led 24-12 at the half, and the outcome was never in doubt.

Alexis Lowden led the Tartans with 22 points, followed by Mc Kayla Tilton (15), Kyra Zovak (9) and Michelle Can (1).

During that title run, Nunemaker led GHS to a 31-0 regular season.

They went 1-1 in the CIF State playoffs and finished the season at 32-1.

In nine-plus years at Glendora, the Tartans are (200-69).

That comes out to a 74-percent success rate.

And on Monday, December 9th of 2024, Glendora defeated Highland, 61-58, at the Burroughs Showcase.

That means, in nine years and eight games, Adam Nunemaker has 200 career victories.

Before his arrival, Glendora had just one player with 1,000 career points (Jennifer Barbone, 1,239).

During the Nunemaker era, six more Tartans have joined that list.

It includes Rylie Anderson (1,573), Jorday Holmes (1,343), Alexis Lowden (1,320), Michelle Can, (1,136), Mc Kayla Tilton (1,135) and Hailey Schaffer (1,112).

Brianna Gomez is approximately 90 points away from being the eighth member of the Tartans’ 1,000-club.

Before his arrival, GHS averaged nearly 13 wins per season.

Since 2015-16, Glendora averages 23 wins per season, they’ve had nine consecutive winning campaigns and earned postseason berths since 2016-17.

Adam Nunemaker isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

He’s intense with his players and the refs, he can be loud, and Nunemaker has even been known to drop a colorful word now and then.

But you know who he’s very popular with?

His employers, the Lady Tartans basketball players and their parents.

As you’ll read in the ‘quotable’ section below, his athletes describe the impact of ‘Coach Nuner’ as someone who teaches them far more life lessons than any x’s and o’s on a board.

Nunemaker is the ultimate student of the game, who puts together first-class game plans for each GHS opponent, and his time spent watching film in endless.

Adam’s priorities for his young athletes are in the order that any parent would have for their daughter.

In fact, this is how Mark Luera, the proud parent of Milana Luera described Nunemaker.

“Coming into high school, Milana had played as part of the Glendora Thunder Youth Program, and I knew that she would eventually play for him at GHS. A lot of people had mentioned that he’s very gruff,” Luera said. “I had followed GHS prior to Adam being here, and I immediately admired his style. Milana was used to the gruff style, as I’m that kind of guy too. Adam teaches the game, and in my opinion, he’s the best coach around. I think he’s actually softened up a bit since her freshman year. He actually has a very soft nature to him, and he really loves these girls, and these girls love him. Adam is not just my daughter’s coach. I consider him part of our family. Adam has given my daughter self-confidence. He’s made her believe in herself. He cares about teaching these girls the game, and the right way to play it.”

To add a personal note, this writer has gotten to know Adam over the last few years.

And while, yes, he’s an intense dude, Nunemaker absolutely loves the kids. He’d do anything to help them as basketball players, students or just young people trying to figure out their direction in life.

One thing that anyone who knows Adam would confirm is his unwillingness to accept even one percent of the credit for a program that he’s turned into an SGV area power.

If he had it his way, 99-percent of the praise would go to the girls, and the other one percent to his assistant coaches.

Lastly, I asked Nunemaker to answer the following: 1) Does it bother you that people outside of GHS think you’re loud and intense or what’s the biggest misconception of you? 2) What makes you proud to be the head coach at Glendora High School? 3) What would you want to tell the 2017-18 team that not only claimed (Palomares) league title No. 1, but also a first CIF-SS championship for the program? 4) And what would you want to say to the school for hiring you and to the players and their parents for their productivity and support?

Said Adam Nunemaker: 1) “I only care what people think that are inside of the program and community. The last thing I care about is what people that don’t know me think about the way that I do things. I will gladly take a label as someone that is intense, because that shows the passion I have to try and do my best at everything I do. It also shows that I care about the players in the program, because all I have ever wanted is for them to be their best, both on and off the floor.

2) I enjoy coaching at Glendora because everyone buys into what we’re doing. I rarely have any issues that I have to deal with. Everyone does the right thing in our program. They all try as hard as they can every single minute they are on the floor. They make great decisions away from basketball and they all know that life is about doing the right thing. The community has our back, is supportive and is always there when we need them. It’s an amazing spot to be at.

3) Winning CIF back in 2018 put this program on the map. The players that led us to that championship were the first ones that ever had any type of sustained success at Glendora. Before that group of players started the ball rolling. there was never even a league championship in the school’s history, much less a CIF one. What they did though was set a standard, and they raised expectations at our school, and the players that have followed have very much upheld that standard.

4) I am very thankful that GHS took a chance on me 10 years ago. I had no head coaching experience. As I have mentioned, the support at the school, district and community is all anyone can ask for. My main goal is to help kids get to where they want to go. I teach elementary school in Victorville and those kids need a different type of help and support. At the high school level, it is about placing the student-athletes in the best place to be successful. The coaches I work with have done an amazing job of doing that. We have had very little turnover in our program because everyone knows how special it is that we get to coach year after year. All the coaches in the program sacrifice so much to make this work and the wins that the players have earned over the years are a byproduct of the hard work of everyone involved at GHS. With saying all of that, however, we all have to remember none of us coaches have won a single game, the players are the ones that have gotten us to the point we are at, and I hope to continue to be a part of that as long as Glendora will have me.”

Quotable:

GHS principal, Jamie Norell: “Adam is undeniably a top-notch coach. His impressive 200 wins is testament to that. We are so proud of not only his coaching stats at GHS, but how he has achieved those stats. Adam teaches his athletes to be unapologetically tenacious and demands a work ethic that achieves greatness. It is refreshing to see that female athletes can demonstrate those qualities with sportsmanship and class. The lessons that his athletes learn from him on the court will be carried with them for a lifetime. Congratulations to Adam!”

GHS assistant principal, Rod Tilton: “Since Adam took over the girls’ basketball program in 2015, a few tag lines have come to define the program. Two of those being: Believe Town and Champions on and off the court. In just his second season, Adam instilled in the team the mindset to believe in winning and taught them how to win. That year, the Tartans made an unexpected run to the CIF championship game. In his third season, Adam led the team to a historic year: not only did they capture their first-ever league championship, but they also secured their first CIF championship with an extraordinary 31-0 undefeated record. Coach Nunnemaker came to GHS with a vision of turning the girls’ basketball program into BELIEVE TOWN.”

Glendora AD, Jerry Lewallen: “From day one, Coach Nunemaker has made a positive impact on our campus. Reaching this milestone is a testament to his hard work, dedication and commitment to the program. His leadership has helped shape countless athletes, and pushing them to be their absolute best, both on and off the court. Congratulations, coach, and thank you for all you do.”

Glendora boys’ basketball coach, Gordon Hamlow: “Adam’s teams play hard. He does a fantastic job of scouting, which translates into a meticulous practice with incredible attention to detail, and that allows his athletes to be fully prepared when they step on the floor. These are just a few of the reasons why his teams have been so successful.”

Former Tartan, Rylie Anderson: “I’ve had the privilege of being coached by him since seventh grade, and throughout my high school years. His passion for the game and for each player has been unwavering. His work ethic is unmatched, and he always comes prepared with a detailed game plan, whether we’re facing a tough opponent or an easier one. He taught me the importance of discipline, dedication, and falling in love with the process of hard work. His belief in me and our teams has been a constant source of motivation, and he’s always pushed me to be better, both on and off the court. His leadership and commitment to making every team successful has had a lasting impact, and I am incredibly grateful for his guidance and inspiration throughout my career.”

Former Tartan, Hailey Schaffer: “I think he has been successful because of his dedication and all of the time he puts into everything he does. I appreciated that he wasn’t just there for us on the court, but also in other aspects of our lives. He made me a more confident player and gave me a lot of responsibility, which led to me being a more confident person in my everyday life.”

Former Tartan, Mc Kayla Tilton: “It has been a blessing to witness Coach Nunemaker’s journey from his very first game as head coach at Glendora to reaching 200 wins. This milestone is a true reflection of the countless hours of dedication, passion, and belief he’s poured into every player and every game. Beyond wins and losses, Coach Nunemaker has built a culture of excellence, hard work, and accountability that defines the Glendora High School girls’ basketball program and makes us all proud to be a part of it. His leadership has not only cultivated great teams and brought the program to new heights, but also broken countless records and most importantly, shaped incredible teammates and individuals year after year. This achievement is a testament to his relentless pursuit of excellence and his unwavering commitment to making us better, both on and off the court. I am incredibly grateful for all that Nuner has taught me as a player, coach, and person.”

Former Tartan, Alexis Lowden: “They always say one coach can make you fall out of love with the game, but I also think that one coach can make you fall in love with the game. It wasn’t until playing for Nuner that I truly found love for the game of basketball. He made playing basketball fun all while continuing to push each one of us to get better. My development as a player grew exponentially while playing for him allowing me to pursue basketball at a higher level following high school. I think what I appreciate most was his balance between “work and play”. As serious as he was about basketball and performance, he was also hilarious and allowed us to have a space to have a good laugh and joke around. He has an extremely high basketball IQ, is very meticulous and sharp, and he puts his heart into every practice, game, etc. there is no doubt that he truly wants the best for his players.”

Former Tartan, Karley Tilton: “Coach, your dedication to your players, both on and off the court, has shaped not only champions but also strong, resilient individuals. You taught me how to be tougher, to lead with purpose, and to value the balance between discipline and building meaningful relationships. Your example is a cornerstone of why I chose to become an educator, aiming to inspire students as you have inspired so many of us on the court. Thank you for the lessons, the challenges, and the impact you’ve had on my life and the lives of countless others.”

Current Tartan, Milana Luera: “Coach has been so successful because he lives and breathes everything basketball. He has impacted my career by pushing me to be my best, and to work harder and harder each game. There are many things that I respect about him. A few of them are his passion for our team, the long distance he drives every day to work with us, and how he pushes us to be better people not just players.”

Current Tartan, Reagan “Ronnie” Herrmann: “Nuner’s dedication to his teams and the sport are without a doubt a reason for his success. No matter the circumstances, happy or sad, tired or sick, he always does what is beneficial to the team. Every day, he drives at least an hour from the school he works at to Glendora so the team can practice. Even after long days of work and practice, he’ll still insist on going to a competitor’s game to get film. Nuner always goes the extra mile to do whatever is necessary for the team to feel prepared. I am so beyond grateful to have a coach that is as dedicated, if not more, to a sport as me. Another reason for his success is his ability to see the best in people and believe in them. I have known and played under Nuner’s coaching for almost eight years now, since I was in the third grade. That’s when he created a travel ball team for the elementary school and middle school girls so they could build their skills for the sport. Even at the young age, Nuner pushed all the players to be their very best. When I started out playing with him, I was timid and unsure of my potential. However, as the years have gone on, he has continued to remind me of how successful I could be, constantly making sure I push myself to the best of my abilities.

Now, during this current season and the past couple seasons, I’ve had the confidence and ability to have some pretty good games and show my true potential. Not only has he taught me the skills needed for basketball, but the skills necessary in life as well. He has taught me the importance of dedication and to push through the challenges when things get difficult. I admire his never-ending love for the sport. Besides work, I am pretty sure he dedicates his life to basketball and the team. If he’s not at practice, he’s out filming a game, and if he’s not filming a game, he’s watching the film. And if he’s not watching the film, he’s coming up with a game plan for the upcoming game. He definitely needs one of those t-shirts that say “Eat. Sleep. Basketball. Repeat.” Even though he’s always focused on the game, he doesn’t forget that we are still teenagers. There have been many times where he has bought cookies from the grocery store and given them to us after our games. He’ll tell the team funny stories of the class he teaches. Or wish us luck when we have final exams. Overall, I am lucky to have had him as a coach and role model for so long, and I’m even luckier to still have another season to play for him.”

Adam Nunemaker’s Career Records at Glendora:
2024-25: 6-2 overall, 0-0 in league, & 0-0 in playoffs
2023-24: 24-5, 8-2 & 0-1
2022-23: 22-7, 8-2 & 0-1
2021-22: 20-10, 6-4 & 1-1
2020-21: 11-10, 7-3 & 0-1
2019-20: 22-9, 9-1 & 1-1
2018-19: 23-6, 9-1 & 0-1
2017-18: 32-1, 10-0 & 5-1
2016-17: 25-7, 7-3 & 3-2
2015-16: 15-12, 3-7 & 0-0
Totals: 200-69 overall, 65-23 in league & 10-9 in playoffs

GHS’ 1,000-Point Scorers:
Rylie Anderson: 1,573
Jorday Holmes: 1,343
Alexis Lowden: 1,320
Jennifer Barbone: 1,239 (pre-Nunemaker)
Michelle Can: 1,136
Mc Kayla Tilton: 1,135
Hailey Schaffer: 1,112

Closing in:
Brianna Gomez (2025 grad): 910 points

GHS Before Adam Nunemaker:
2014-15: 15-12 overall, 4-6 in league & 0-0 in playoffs
2013-14: 9-18, 2-8 & 0-0
2012-13: 19-10, 5-5 & 2-1
2011-12: 13-14, 2-8 & 0-1
2010-11: 7-19, 2-8 & 0-0
Totals: 63-73 overall, 15-35 in league & 2-2 in playoffs