Stellar defense and timely shooting lifted Portland to 52-32 win over Newaygo in the Division 2 state championship game Friday at the Breslin Center.
Leading 20-12 at the half, Portland started the third quarter on a 9-0 run for a 17-point lead.
"It means everything, you don't know what it's going to feel like until you get there," Portland senior point guard Ava Gruber said. "Everything you worked for pours out and it finally counts so it meant the world."
Ashley Bower led the Raiders with 20 points, Alivia Densmore and Ava Guilford each chipped in 12.
"It is crazy, we've worked so hard," Bower said. "We have pushed ourselves in practice just to be able to get to this point so I am just proud of our team and the way we played."
Emmerson Goodin scored 8 points and grabbed 9 rebounds for the Lions, Jaylee Long and Anna Brummel each scored 8 points as well.
"We needed to be solid with the ball and they run the ball really well and we needed to stop those easy buckets," Long said. "We just weren't able to stop them today."
Portland held Newaygo to just 21% shooting (9-43) from the field for the game.
