MESA, Ariz. – Everybody in the entire gymnasium Friday at Skyline High knew who was taking the last shot for Ridgeline High from Utah, and despite the best defensive efforts of the Moreno Valley High girls basketball team, Emilee Skinner managed to come through in the clutch again in the Joe Smith Division semifinals at the Nike Tournament of Champions.
Despite facing a double team as she drove the right baseline, the Duke-bound Skinner elevated and sank a 10-foot jump shot with 7.2 seconds remaining to give the Riverhawks the lead.
Following a Moreno Valley timeout with 2.7 seconds left, the potential winning shot by Bella Medina fell short from the left wing, allowing Ridgeline to hold on for a 53-52 victory, the program’s 33rd in a row during the regular high school season schedule.
After capturing their 4A state championship last season, the Riverhawks were knocked off by a 55-35 margin in March against South Shore from New York as part of The Throne national event in New Jersey.
Ridgeline (11-0) will square off Saturday against Osbourn Park from Virginia (6-1) – a 58-45 semifinal winner against Legend High from Colorado – in the Joe Smith Division final Saturday at Skyline High.
Skinner had 23 points, six rebounds and three assists, with Brooke Smith adding 10 points for the Riverhawks, who held Moreno Valley (10-5) scoreless for the final two minutes.
Jamiyah Pearson made back-to-back baskets inside of a minute to help the Vikings overcome a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to grab a 52-51 advantage.
Moreno Valley hadn’t led since late in the second quarter, before Ridgeline scored the final 15 points of the opening half to produce a 34-22 lead at the break.
Alaysha Mills, a sophomore had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Vikings, who cut the deficit to 47-39 entering the fourth quarter.
Jamiyah Pearson, left, and Alaysha Mills, right, of Moreno Valley girls basketball | Erik Boal photo
Leiayjah Mills, a senior, contributed 12 points, with McKenzie Gillman and Medina both adding eight points apiece for Moreno Valley, which had its six-game winning streak halted entering Saturday’s third-place matchup against Legend (7-2).
In other Joe Smith Division games:
Carondelet 64, La Jolla Country Day 43: The Cougars (9-2) received a game-high 19 points from Layla Dixon in a fifth-place semifinal victory at Red Mountain High.
Sophia Ross added 13 points, with Janel Nevares contributing eight points for Carondelet, which competes Saturday against Fayetteville High from Arkansas (4-3) in the fifth-place contest.
Olivia Smith had seven points, in addition to Celeste Alvarez and Niylah Christopher scoring six points apiece for the Cougars, who relied on a 19-point third-quarter effort to increase the advantage to 45-29.
Mei-Ling Perry led La Jolla Country Day (6-4), which suffered back-to-back losses for the first time this season, with 13 points.
Safiyah Sugapong had eight points and Atlanta Bass-Sulpizio contributed six points for the Torreys, who are scheduled to square off Saturday in the seventh-place game against Hamilton High from Arizona (9-6).
Villa Park 46, Pinnacle 35: The Spartans (10-2) avoided a three-game skid after opening the season with nine consecutive victories to prevail in the 13th-place semifinals at Mesa High.
Lauren Wolfe scored 23 points – including 14 in the fourth highlighted by four 3-pointers – to lead Villa Park, which outscored Pinnacle (10-4) by an 18-9 margin in the final quarter to secure the victory.
Madelyn Martinez contributed eight points for the Spartans, who will square off Saturday against Cherry Creek from Colorado (3-3) in the 13th-place contest.
The Bruins halted a three-game losing streak Friday with a 67-34 victory against Sanford School from Delaware.