Bruins win state title with perfect season
The Lancaster High School girls basketball team had a perfect season. Literally.
The Bruins didn’t lose once on a march from the first game of the season to the state Class 3A championship Saturday. Final record: 27-0.
The Bruins showed they had talent all season. In the title game against the Lakewood Gators, they also demonstrated once again that they had guts and determination to spare.
In the fourth period, Lancaster faced a 10-point deficit. But the Bruins closed with a 14-2 run, sparked by standout Malia Rivers, who stepped up to score nine of the 14 points.
The 44-42 win gave Lancaster its fourth girls state title, but the only one since 1959.
This was the second game in a row that the Bruins were forced to come from behind. The previous Saturday, they had faced the Dreher Blue Devils in the Upper State championship game.
The Bruins got off to a slow start as the Blue Devils, defending 3A state champions, jumped out to a 7-0 lead with 3:23 left in the first quarter. Lancaster fought back, and the lead went back and forth into the fourth period, when the Bruins took a 39-35 lead with 1:48 to go and then hit three free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
Freshman post player Zaria Woods scored 18 points in that game to lead the team.
This is an outstanding, tightly knit team of exemplary young women. They put together a dream season that none is likely to forget any time soon.
Congratulations to Coach Ronnie Robinson, the players and all the fans who supported the Bruins during this flawless season.
In summary
The Lancaster Bruins had to come from behind but ended up with a state 3A championship and an unblemished season.
This story was originally published March 11, 2015 at 12:40 PM with the headline "Bruins win state title with perfect season."