Star power and senior depth lead McClatchy girls past Folsom for D-I section title

Seeding-wise, the McClatchy Lions were considered the underdog in Friday’s CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I girls basketball championship game at Golden 1 Center.

Even an online poll overwhelmingly favored the top-seeded Folsom Bulldogs over the third-seeded McClatchy Lions, The Sacramento Bee’s top-ranked teams all season. That didn’t sit well with the ladies representing the oldest high school in Sacramento.

Just three days after McClatchy toppled second-seeded St. Mary’s in Stockton, the Lions proved they were no underdog.

McClatchy trailed for a grand total of 80 seconds in the D-I final inside the cavernous NBA arena and added to its trophy case with a 64-53 win over Folsom for its second section championship.

McClatchy and Folsom have been ranked No. 1 and 2 in The Bee’s rankings all season long. It seemed they were on a collision course for Golden 1 Center, a familiar site for the Bulldogs, who have been here each of the past four seasons.

But it was star power and superb depth that allowed McClatchy to buck the so-called odds and prove any doubters wrong.

Reigning Bee Player of the Year Nina Cain, the future Washington Husky with a lofty GPA, led the charge with a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds.

“It means everything,” Cain said. “I’m just going out in my senior year trying to have fun and to go out with a bang, trying to enjoy my last year. I’m glad I got to experience it here with all my girls here.”

Cain is used to defenses collapsing on her to try and slow her game, but it often ends up benefiting her teammates.

“She’s the engine that makes this whole thing go,” McClatchy coach Jeff Ota said. “It helps everybody’s outside shooting because everybody triple teams or sometimes four people on her. And people spot up and get open threes because of her.”

One player from the McClatchy supporting cast, in particular, who benefited from the attention paid to Cain was senior point guard Breyana Kimmons, who last year played at Folsom.

Kimmons went on a personal 9-0 run and scored 11 of her 21 points in the second quarter to help cushion the Lions’ lead to 34-23 by halftime. She also hit the final layup just seconds before the final buzzer sounded and the celebration began.

“I prayed a lot before this game, and He answered my prayers,” Kimmons said. “I went through a lot over there. So this feels really good to win this.”

Fellow senior Norret Lewis, who is headed to CSU Northridge next year, chipped in 12 points with five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Mikayla Reyes knocked down a pair of clutch triples. Daisy Throckmorton, Savy Hill and Laila Stancil-Williams all contributed key minutes for McClatchy, which now looks forward to the upcoming CIF Northern California tournament.

Ota recognized how tough it is to even make it to this stage.

“The last time we’ve been here, probably, what, seven years ago?” he said. “It’s been a long time, and it’s difficult. Nina’s been here for her fourth year now, and we kept on losing that third game to get over the hump to even reach here, and now to finally get here and win it, it just tops off all these senior years.”

McClatchy filled with school pride

McClatchy assistant coach Jessica Kunisaki, an alumnus of the school, said the support at the school over the decades keeps coaches coming back. Ota is also an alum of the school, as is another top assistant coach in Jackie Wada.

McClatchy maximized the student-athlete experience Friday with a large throng of students in school-color red cheering on the oldest school in the Sacramento City Unified School District. At halftime, the school’s 38-member dance team dazzled, pleasing cheer coach Holly Singleteary, a San Francisco native who has led the program for six years.

“It’s really nice for these girls to do this in such a nice venue,” Singleteary said. “It’s great to be involved.”

A McClatchy cheerleader took a hard fall in the second half but was OK, school officials said. Beaming after the game in the postgame scene were school principal Andrea Egan and athletic director Rob Feickert.

Cleaning up the details

The Lions had a blowout win in a tournament in December in which Ota, despite the victory, was not pleased with his team’s efforts and attention to details.

Then, in an odd paradox, there was a close loss to Acalanes of Lafayette, one of the top teams in Northern California. Despite the loss, Ota’s attitude had shifted. He felt his team was ready to compete in the postseason.

The Lions now await the NorCal brackets, which will be released Sunday afternoon. McClatchy (24-6) will likely find itself competing in the Open Division, where the best of the best play.

Said Ota, “Oh, I think they’re ready after this.”

Nick Pecoraro is a sports journalist and host of “Premier Preps with Nick Pecoraro,” a weekly prep show available on YouTube that recaps games and teams in the Sacramento area each week. Find it at youtube.com/@PremierPreps.

This story was originally published February 28, 2025 at 10:06 PM.