Rayanna Fisher’s 3 sends Greenfield to Class 1A semifinals
Greenfield’s Rayanna Fisher dribbles the ball up the court against Van Buren County during a Class 1A high school girls basketball quarterfinal at the Murphy Center on March 12, 2026.
Rayanna Fisher admitted that Thursday night was not her best offensive game. Shots just weren’t falling for her.
But the 2026 Class 1A Miss Basketball finalist wasn’t willing to just give up.
Battling through the stingy defensive effort by Van Buren County, the Lady Yellowjackets (29-2) trailed for 18:13 of the game. But with 16 seconds remaining on the clock, Fisher hit the shot of the season as she drained a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to put Greenfield up 41-40.
“When I went out there, I wasn’t making anything, but I knew that even though I wasn’t making anything, I could still play defense and get going off that,” Fisher said. “With the play we drew up at the end, I knew regardless or not if I was open, I was going to shoot the 3. As soon as it left my hands, I knew it was going in.”
The defense didn’t allow the Eaglettes to get a shot off, as the Lady Yellowjackets advanced to play Richland in the Class 1A semifinals at 8:45 p.m. on Friday.
“We have not ran that play except one time all season, and when I got to the huddle, Ella (Porter) said we are not running corner because they are covering me up,” Greenfield coach Tori Liggett said. “They said run bear. I asked if everyone knew their position, and they said they did. There she is. I knew she would make it because she is clutch.”
The final 15 seconds was Greenfield’s first lead since leading 17-16 with 3:08 to play as Van Buren went on a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter to take a 20-17 lead.
Greenfield came out scoring as Skylar Arnold and Ella Porter combined to score the team’s first 12 points. A Maddie Paschall 3-pointer put the Lady Yellowjackets up 15-4.
“Playing last year helped me tremendously,” Porter said. “I felt like I could get settled in and make my shots. It felt good to make shots.”
But in the second quarter, that lead disappeared quickly as Van Buren outscored them 19-6 with Greenfield missing shots and turning the ball over. And the Eaglettes didn’t commit a foul in the quarter.
Van Buren led 25-21 at halftime and extended the lead to 35-28 going into the fourth quarter.
But coming out, Porter hit a 3-pointer, Fisher hit two free throws and Arnold added another free throw to cut Van Buren’s lead to 35-34 with 4:01 remaining.
The Eaglettes responded with five straight points to take a 40-34 lead.
But Arnold hit a layup and Porter hit a basket to cut the deficit to 40-38 with 37 seconds to play to set up Fisher’s winner.
Fisher finished with seven points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Porter led Greenfield’s offense with 18 points to go with three rebounds, three rebounds and three steals. Arnold drew a tough assignment with Van Buren’s post player in Cara Mills, but she had a double-double with 11 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks.
“Skylar was incredible,” Liggett said. “The defense and the boxing out and then battling constantly.”
Arnold added about playing a girl that was bigger and taller than her.
“Well, I knew that she was going to be a good post player,” Arnold said. “I knew that she was going to score. She was too good not to score. If she scored on me, I had to get back on offense and do the best that I could.”
