MORENO VALLEY — Last season, both of the Ivy League games between the Moreno Valley and Rancho Christian girls basketball teams were decided in the final minute. Rancho Christian guard Addison Archer (4) shoots over Moreno Valley forward Jamiyah Pearson (33) for two in the Ivy League girls basketb all game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley forward Hasina Williams (11) blocks the shot of Rancho Christian guard Azalea Vilaysing (13) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley guard Taya Evans-Richard (1) celebrates with water bottle and her team after defeating Rancho Christian 95086 to win the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley forward Jamiyah Pearson (33) is defended by a Rancho Christian defender in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley guard Bella Medina (22) drives to the hoop against Rancho Christian in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley forward Hasina Williams (11) blocks the shot of Rancho Christian guard Azalea Vilaysing (13) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley guard Crystal Serrano (0) is defended by Rancho Christian guard Ebony Taylor-Smith (1) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley guard Bella Medina (22) celebrates her three-pointer as Rancho Christian guard Azalea Vilaysing (13) reacts in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Rancho Christian guard Ebony Taylor-Smith (1) makes the leaping save of the ball against Moreno Valley in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley guard Bella Medina (22) fouls out of the game as head coach Larry Wright reacts against Rancho Christian in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley forward Alaysha Mills (44) tries to block the shots f Rancho Christian guard Ebony Taylor-Smith (1) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley guard Taya Evans-Richard (1) pressures Rancho Christian guard Addison Archer (4) and forces the turnover in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley guard Bella Medina (22) makes the layup over Rancho Christian forward Amya Guzman (22) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley fpf Alaysha Mills (44) shoots over Rancho Christian guard Alyson Boyd (15) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley guard Taya Evans-Richard (1) makes the layup in front of Rancho Christian guard Ebony Taylor-Smith (1) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley forward Jamiyah Pearson (33) pulls down the rebound between Rancho Christian guard Azalea Vilaysing (13) and Rancho Christian forward Amya Guzman (22) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Rancho Christian guard Alyson Boyd (15) shoots over Moreno Valley forward Alaysha Mills (44) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Amina Williams, 3, from Moreno Valley dances in her mothers lap while watching her sister Moreno Valley forward Hasina Williams (11) play against Rancho Christian in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Rancho Christian guard Ebony Taylor-Smith (1) fouls Moreno Valley guard Crystal Serrano (0) as she drives to the hoop in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley Vikings fans cheer after a three pointer against Rancho Christian in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Amina Williams, 3, from Moreno Valley gives a kiss to Moreno Valley forward Jamiyah Pearson (33) after the Vikings defeated Rancho Christian 95-86 to win the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley guard Bella Medina (22) stretches before the start of the second half against Rancho Christian in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) A Moreno Valley student uses her phone near the school mascot on the bleachers after the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Moreno Valley forward Jamiyah Pearson (33) pulls down a rebound Over Rancho Christian pgw Naomi Kemle (3) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Rancho Christian guard Naomi Kemle (3) battle for the loose ball with Moreno Valley guard Bella Medina (22) in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Show Caption1 of 25Rancho Christian guard Addison Archer (4) shoots over Moreno Valley forward Jamiyah Pearson (33) for two in the Ivy League girls basketball game in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) Expand   The two sides looked like they were on pace for a similar conclusion Wednesday night. However, Moreno Valley used a 14-7 run in the third quarter to push its lead to double digits and then hung on for a 95-86 victory to take sole possession of first place in the league standings. The Vikings managed to pull out the win despite two starters fouling out down the stretch and Rancho Christian freshman Addison Archer scoring a game-high 46 points. Moreno Valley (11-8 overall, 4-0 in league) had a more balanced scoring attack Wednesday. Alaysha Mills led the Vikings with 27 points, while Bella Medina added 24. Jamiyah Pearson scored 21, while Crystal Serrano contributed 15. Medina and Serrano both fouled out late in the game. “Two good teams played a basketball game and we were just fortunate enough to come out on the winning end tonight against a great Rancho Christian team,” Moreno Valley coach Larry Wright said. “Alaysha and Jamiyah were big for us down low tonight, particularly in the way they fought for 50-50 balls, and we got some big time shots from Bella and Crystal. We were consistent enough against the press tonight but we need to be better against it next time.” Archer had 11 of Rancho Christian’s 25 first quarter points, including seven straight over a 92-second span to start the game. The Eagles grabbed a 22-17 lead with 2:10 left in the opening quarter, but Medina’s layup with 20 seconds left pulled the teams even at 25 heading to the second period. “She’s going to be a star,” said Wright of Archer. “We were trying to keep her in front and give her some length to shoot over but we just couldn’t do it. I’m already thinking about adjustments for the next time there.” Moreno Valley grabbed their first lead of the evening on a 3-pointer by Serrano a minute into the second quarter. Alyson Boyd’s 3-pointer with 5:11 left until the break put Rancho Christian (15-4, 3-1) back in front 31-30. However, Medina connected on a pair of 3-pointers in the final 3 minutes of the half, and Mills’ jump hook with 10 seconds left gave Moreno Valley a 48-45 lead at intermission. Rancho Christian’s Ebony Taylor-Smith hit a pair of 3-pointers to start the third quarter to gave the Eagles a 54-52 lead. The Eagles’ first three field goals of the second half were all from beyond the arc, as Boyd started the half with a 3-pointer of her own. A 13-5 run gave Moreno Valley a 65-59 lead with 3:14 left in the third after Mills converted a 3-point play. Serrano’s 3-pointer with 1:36 left in the quarter gave the Vikings a double-digit lead for the first time in the game. “We’ve had our doubters this year and some folks said we weren’t capable of beating top level teams like Rancho Christian anymore, so we definitely proved something to ourselves tonight,” Mills said. Moreno Valley’s largest lead was 86-74 with 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter following a layup by Pearson. Twice in the game’s waning moments, Archer was able to cut the deficit to seven points, but the Eagles not no closer as late 3-point attempts by Boyd and Taylor-Smith refused to go down. The teams will meet for the second time Jan. 30 at Rancho Christian. Related Articles All-CIF Southern Section Football: Five Inland players earn Player of the Year honors All-Inland Boys Water Polo: Yucaipa’s Tate Hudson is the IE Varsity Player of the Year Inland girls athlete of the week: Ebony Taylor-Smith, Rancho Christian Inland boys athlete of the week: Ethan Wadman, Santiago Santiago girls water polo rolls past Centennial, secures top seed for Big VIII tournament ...read more read less