COVINA >> Rowland, the top-ranked team in CIF-Southern Section Division 2, clinched at least a share of its first girls basketball league championship in 28 years with a 42-30 win over Covina on Friday night.

The win gives the Raiders (20-2, 8-0) a two-game lead in the Valle Vista League with two games to play. Their last championship came in 1988 when the Raiders tied Los Altos for the Sierra League title.

“This means a lot for our team and for the school to win this,” Raiders coach Quentin Carr said. “Our floor leaders held it down for us on defense and we started Kayci (Hirakawa) in the second half and she really took their shooter out of the game.”

The Colts (19-6, 6-2) jumped out to a 6-0 lead on back-to-back 3-pointers by Allison Ayala before the Raiders bounced back to tie the score, 6-6, at the end of the first quarter.

Ayala led the Colts with 12 points, hitting four of 13 shots from beyond the arc.

The Raiders, led by junior Tianna Eaton, then went on a 9-2 run to start the second quarter. They took control of the game when Chloe Nakamoto put back an offensive rebound just before the end of the first half. Click HERE for entire story!