Delaney Shiring Steps Up to Help El Dorado Win the Division III State Title
SACRAMENTO — Delaney Shiring, a 5-foot-10 senior from El Dorado High School, played a pivotal role in securing her team’s first state girls’ basketball championship, leading the Golden Hawks to a thrilling 42-40 victory over San José Valley Christian in the Division III final at Golden 1 Center on Friday.
“It’s amazing,” said Shiring, who contributed 15 points and six rebounds. “It’s meant to be. Everything is so historic. We bought into those big moments.”
The Golden Hawks (24-14) initially appeared in control, establishing a nine-point lead midway through the third quarter. However, Valley Christian mounted a comeback, largely fueled by Kenedi Nomura, who scored 18 points. A timely basket by Shiring capped off the quarter, halting a 5-0 run by the Warriors.
The decisive moment came when Shiring sank a critical shot with just 47 seconds remaining, giving El Dorado a 41-38 lead. Valley Christian responded with a basket from Anaya Bannarbie, closing the gap to 41-40 with 38 seconds left. Riley Morikawa then extended the lead to two points by making one of two free throws with 13.1 seconds on the clock. Valley Christian was unable to execute a tying shot in the final moments.
“I really focus in big moments when the shot matters,” Shiring noted, acknowledging the formidable defense they faced.
El Dorado entered the Southern Section playoffs as an at-large team and gained momentum in the postseason under the guidance of coach Matt Raya, ultimately clinching the Division 4 section title and the Division III regional title before their championship triumph.
