DAYTON, Ohio — Reynoldsburg won the school’s first OHSAA girls basketball state championship in thrilling fashion, rallying from an 11-point deficit to claim a 63-56 win versus Mason in overtime. 

The Raiders trailed 41-31 with 1:19 left in the third quarter, when Mya Perry closed the quarter with her own 5-0 run in the final 43 seconds of the frame to pull Reynoldsburg within 41-36 with one quarter to play. 

Trinity Ramos had six points, but they came on two 3-point baskets in a 25-second span to narrow the Comets’ lead to one, 43-42. That momentum changed the game, and whipped the Raiders’ faithful into a frenzy. 

Imarianah Russell celebrates with her state champion medal. (Casey Weldon/Spectrum News 1)

Imarianah Russell gave Reynoldsburg a 47-45 lead with 2:22 remaining, but Mason freshman Madison Parrish evened things up with a pair of free throws 19 seconds later. 

The Raiders called two timeouts around the final 2:03, maintaining the ball the entire time, and playing for the last shot.  However, they were unable to get off an attempt before time expired in regulation. 

So, for a second straight year, the girls’ Division I final went to overtime. Mount Notre Dame defeated Newark 57-55 in double-overtime in 2021. 

In the extra session, Russell put things away, scoring eight of her game-high 28 points, which pushed her past the 2,000-career point plateau. Her coast-to-coast drive and lay-in, coupled with a Mya Perry steal and basket, gave the Raiders a 55-50 lead.

Reynoldsburg’s three college signees — Russell is headed to West Virginia, Perry to Ohio State and Makiya Miller to Wright State — combined for 55 of their team’s 63 points. 

For the Comets, University of Miami bound Kyla Oldacre had 17 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. Parrish added 12, Amanda Barnes had 11 and Gabby Razzano had 10. 

But it was the Raiders, making a fourth final four appearance since 2010 cutting down the nets for the first time.