SPARKS — Trailing by four points entering the fourth quarter, Losee High School’s girls basketball team stormed back to defeat Reno 41-36 on Saturday at Spanish Springs High School, capturing the program’s first Class 4A state title.
Heaven Thomas ignited the comeback with a paint score off an interior pass from Eloni Marshall. On the next possession, Jayla Lewis found Marshall, who drilled a corner 3-pointer to tie the game at 32.
With four minutes remaining, Jordynn Riggins fed Tia Cleveland for a go-ahead basket in the paint, putting Losee up 37-36. Brianna Ballenger then made a chase-down steal, leading to Marshall’s baseline runner that extended the lead to three.
Riggins, a freshman, missed two free throws with under 30 seconds left but drew another foul with 20.1 seconds on the clock and calmly sank both to make it 41-36. Reno turned the ball over twice on its final possessions, sealing the win for the Lions (27-5).
“We knew we wanted the ball to land in her hands if someone is going to go to the line,” Losee coach Ginni Giles said. “We have all the confidence in JoJo for a ninth grader. She plays like a seasoned vet.”
Losee’s defense hounded Reno guards Violet Gordon and Brookesly Wilson, who managed just 12 and eight points, respectively. “We are very disrespectful in that sense,” Giles said of her guards’ pressure. “We get up in a guard’s face and we are going to push you to your limit.”
Thomas, who was ineligible for half the season due to transfer rules, scored nine points and dominated the boards. “It’s a blessing,” she said. “To come back and give it my all on the court and especially with Jayla, our captain, she means everything to me.”
Senior point guard Lewis, who scored eight points, reflected on the journey: “It means a whole lot. I’ve been trying to do it for four years, since my freshman year. I wanted to win it with nobody other than this team.”
Lewis believes the title is just the start. “This is just the beginning,” she said. “There is many more to come for this group.”
