Centennial girls, Damien boys win thrilling CIF State Basketball Division 1 titles

Centennial's Armanyie Reed and Damien's Elijah Smith and Zaire Rasshan lead their teams to championship victories

Mar. 15, 2026 at 12:51am

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In the CIF State Basketball Division 1 championships, the Centennial High School girls team and the Damien High School boys team both won thrilling victories. Centennial's Armanyie Reed had 25 points and 7 assists to lead the Huskies to their first state title, while Damien's Elijah Smith and Zaire Rasshan combined for 36 points to power the Spartans to their second straight championship. The games featured close, back-and-forth action, with Damien's edge on the offensive glass and Centennial's dominant inside duo of Cydnee Bryant and Sydney Douglas proving to be the difference.

Why it matters

The CIF State Basketball championships represent the pinnacle of high school basketball in California, with the Division 1 titles being the most prestigious. These victories for Centennial and Damien showcase the incredible talent and coaching in the state, as both teams overcame tough opponents to claim state glory. The games also highlight the bright futures of standout players like Reed, Bryant, Douglas, Smith and Rasshan, who are headed to top college programs.

The details

In the boys final, Damien rallied from an early deficit to defeat Folsom 58-55 behind 18 points each from Elijah Smith and Zaire Rasshan. Folsom had taken a 10-0 run to start the second half, but Damien's edge on the offensive glass, grabbing 11 offensive boards to Folsom's 2, proved to be the difference. Folsom's Joven Dulay and Parks Weaver each scored 16 points, but the Spartans' execution and poise down the stretch was the key. On the girls side, Centennial topped Clovis 73-66 behind a dominant all-around effort from Armanyie Reed, who had 25 points, 7 assists, and strong interior play from McDonald's All-American Cydnee Bryant (13 points, 13 rebounds) and sophomore Sydney Douglas (21 points, 10 rebounds). Clovis shot the ball extremely well, led by Yazmin Aguilera's 21 points, but Centennial's size, skill, and resilience was too much to overcome.

  • The boys and girls CIF State Basketball Division 1 championships were held on Friday, March 13, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
  • Damien previously won the CIF State title in 2024, making this their second championship in three years.

The players

Armanyie Reed

A senior guard for Centennial High School who had 25 points and 7 assists to lead the Huskies to their first state title.

Cydnee Bryant

A McDonald's All-American and Kansas signee who had a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds for Centennial.

Sydney Douglas

A 6-foot-7 sophomore for Centennial who added 21 points and 10 rebounds in the championship game.

Elijah Smith

The starting point guard for Damien High School who scored 18 points to help the Spartans win their second state title in three years.

Zaire Rasshan

The starting shooting guard for Damien who also had 18 points, including 5 three-pointers, in the championship victory.

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What they’re saying

“This hurts. Offensive rebounds, they had 11 and we had two. That was the difference.”

— Mike Wall, Head Coach, Folsom High School

“Because I'm saying they're overachievers does not mean they're not great. It's just I had these guys in my all-time top three coming into today and they've moved themselves to the top. I've never had a team that has accomplished so much with what at the beginning we thought we were going to be able to accomplish.”

— Mike LeDuc, Head Coach, Damien High School

“Their level of execution was on another level from what we've seen all year from anyone we've played. They just execute. They're very poised. It's a phenomenal team. All the credit to (LeDuc) for the discipline they showed. Very impressed with them as a team. Pretty incredible.”

— Mike Wall, Head Coach, Folsom High School

What’s next

Damien High School will look to defend their state title again next season, while Centennial High School will aim to build on their first-ever state championship.

The takeaway

The CIF State Basketball Division 1 championships showcased the incredible talent and coaching in California high school basketball. Both the Centennial girls and Damien boys teams displayed the grit, skill, and execution needed to win state titles, providing a glimpse of the bright futures ahead for standout players like Armanyie Reed, Cydnee Bryant, Elijah Smith and Zaire Rasshan.