SJS Basketball Championship recaps for SATURDAY (3/2)

DIVISION I BOYS
Sheldon 60, Pleasant Grove 57
In a wild back-and-forth game that came down to the final shot, Sheldon held off Pleasant Grove thanks to 21 points form Darin Johnson and 14 from Antonio Lewis. These teams, Delta River League rivals, had two wild regular season games and saved their best for last. For every shot the Huskies made, the Eagles answered. Cole Nordquist led Pleasant Grove with 19 points and Malik Thames added 18 for PG.
It was the fourth straight D1 Section championship won by Sheldon; that's a Section record.

DIVISION I GIRLS
St. Mary's 63, Kennedy 47
St. Mary's, the top seed, won the program's 14th Section championship and sixth in a row behind a stifling defense that limited Kennedy to 20 second-half points and forced 27 turnovers. The Rams were led by Brijanne Moore's 27 points and Unique Coleman added 15 points and six rebounds. Katie Lee led Kennedy with 12 points and Lynette Johnson grabbed 17 rebounds.
This was the first Division I championship for St. Mary's, which has now won titles in Divisions 1-4 over its history.

DIVISION II BOYS
Antelope 70, Grant 63
Antelope, the No. 3 seed, successfully defended its Section D2 championship thanks to a 24-point performance by senior forward Gabe Bealer. The Titans were without the services of three-year starter Isaiah Ellis, who missed much of the second half due to an injury. But Bealer and Rashard Thornhill (14 points, six rebounds) picked up the slack.
Senior swingman De'Sean Parsons led Grant with 27 points and eight rebounds, and he was assisted by Kameron Bradley (11 points).
The victory extends a remarkable run by the newer-school Titans. In three years of making the Section postseason, they are now 11-1.

DIVISION IV BOYS
Summerville 63, Liberty Ranch 52
Summerville, the No. 2 seed, used its superior size to score often from the inside, pulling away thanks to a 25-13 fourth quarter scoring advantage. The Bears receiver balanced scoring from their entire lineup, including 12 pints and seven rebounds from Connor Morningstar, 11 points form Logen Foster, 10 points from Joey Brocchini and nine points and 14 rebounds from Rosendo Amaya-Wood.
Liberty Ranch, in the playoffs for the first time, was led by Michael Meserole's 24 points and nine rebounds.
It was the first Section boys basketball championship for Summerville, in the finals for the tjhird time in school history. The last time a Bears team was in the championship game, it was 1991.

DIVISION II GIRLS
Sacramento 48, Florin 37
In a matchup between Metro League rivals, it was the Sacramento Dragons who finished the game hoisting the championship blue banner. Florin, who ch lost twice to Sacramento during the regular season, couldn't overcome a 22-11 halftime deficit and had problems scoring against the Dragons' pressure defense. Chaya Durr led Sacramento with 27 points - two from an all-time top 10 scoring performance for girls in Section championship games - and she also added six rebounds and three steals. No other Sacramento player scored in double digits, although center Ayanna Edwards had 11 rebounds and seven blocks.
Daijah Joe-Smith led Florin with 17 points and nine rebounds, while teammate Dalayna Sampson added seven points and 10 boards.

DIVISION IV GIRLS
Bradshaw Christian 50, Bear River 40
Bradshaw Christian, the No. 3 seed, outscored Bear River 20-6 in the fourth quarter for the school's fifth Section title and first at the D4 level. The Pride trailed the Bruins 34-30 heading into the fourth quarter before Bear River star player Kaitlyn Reina was injured and later fouled out. It was all Bradshaw Christian after that. The Pride was led by Erika Bean (19 points, seven rebounds) and Ashlee Jones (18 points, seven rebounds). Teammate Jordyn Bell added nine points and 10 rebounds.
Reina led Bear River with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Teryn Rath added 10 points.
This was a matchup of two of the Section's most successful postseason girls basketball programs. Bradshaw Christian is now 20-2 in the SJS playoffs while Bear River fell to 65-14.