By james art 
Updates with late scores
The Spanish Springs have been confronted with very good guards in the last few weeks and did it again on Friday as the cougities were detaining a ranch in a state semifinals.
It was Cougars’s first victory in the state basketball tournament for boys in school history.
Cougars will then play for the first national school championship.
The Spanish Springs had four players in double figures, as the cougities beat ranch, 68-58, in the semi-final game of basketball class 4A on Friday night at Vali High School in Las Vegas.
Cugars (24-4) will play Sierra Vista at 19:15 Saturday in Pavilion Cox for the title.
For Cougars, Friday’s victory Travis Lee scored 20 points, Brady Humel had 15, Owen Hensley added 14, and Tanners Bowers scored 10 points.
In the semifinals on Friday, the cougities led, 32-24, at halftime, but the ram was obtained within four in the third, 34-30, before the cougities could retreat.
Spanish Springs Coach Kyle Penny said the Cougars defense rose when he had to win on Friday, the first in a state tournament in the history of the school.
“We did not handle their athleticism and speed at times, but for our bigger part we did,” Penny said. “When we were able to cope, then we were able to take advantage.”
He said that Huml, Bowers and Jaden Acosta did a good job in ranch security, along with the aid defenders.
In the other semi-final Friday, Sierra Vista (25-5) defeated Clark, 69-64 to advance.
The Spanish Springs is trying for its first National Boys Basketball Championship. Sierra Vista won the state once, in 2024 and is the defense champion. Sierra Vista opened in 2001-02, just like the Spanish springs.
Grade 3a
Mater East won its first national championship by defeating Fernley, 49-32, on Friday in Pavilion Cox in Las Vegas.
Mater beat Spring Creek, 67-55, in the semifinals on Thursday. Fernley defeated Democracy, 57-51, in the other semifinals on Thursday.
Fernley won the state four times, the last time in 1958.
Grade 2A
Incline beat Lincoln County, 69-57, on Friday in the semifinals to move to the title game of 2A Boys Boyketball State at 15:45 Saturday at Cox’s pavilion in Las Vegas.
The needles defeated West Venver, 61-55, in the other semifinals.
The needles are the protective state champion and won the state six times.
Incline won five basketball titles for boys, most recently in 2019.
Grade 1A
Virginia City defeated Spring Mountain, 65-35 in the semifinals on Friday, to move to the National Championship at 12:15am Saturday at Cox’s pavilion.
Smith is Valid Pahranagat Valley, 47-33, in the late semifinals on Friday.
Smith is Virie Virginia City, 50-48, for the 1A-west title last week.
Virginia City won 17 national championships, most recently in 2005. Smith Valley won a state title, in 1999.
Grade 5a
In 5a (only in South Nevada), Bishop Gorman defeated Mojave on Friday night for the second straight title of Geels 5a.