Down by one point with under four minutes to play, The Meadows boys basketball team closed the game on an 8-0 run to defeat Fernley 59-52 and claim the program’s first 3A state championship Saturday.
The top seed from the South, the Mustangs (24-6) trailed 52-51 when a key 3-pointer put them ahead for good. They then held the Vaqueros scoreless over the final stretch, securing the win on Fernley’s home floor.
The victory extended The Meadows’ winning streak to seven games. Fernley (26-5) saw its 16-game winning streak end and fell in the state final for the second consecutive year.
Other state finals
2A boys: Battle Mountain 70, Needles 67 — The Longhorns (24-5) outscored the Mustangs (23-4) 22-6 in the fourth quarter to rally for the title at Reno.
1A boys: Smith Valley 72, Mineral County 59 — The Bulldogs (27-1) defeated the Serpents (21-9) for the championship.
3A girls: Churchill County 65, Virgin Valley 51 — The Greenwave (26-4) stunned the Bulldogs (22-7) in Fernley. Virgin Valley had won 10 of its previous 11 games.
2A girls: Lincoln County 43, Yerington 41 — The Lynx (25-4) edged the Lions (22-9) at Reno.
1A girls: Pyramid Lake 44, Eureka 31 — The Lakers (28-3) topped the Vandals (21-6) for the crown.
