Sierra Pacific won the CIF Division II state title in Sacramento on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
CIF/Sierra Pacific
Sierra Pacific proved that winning a Central Section Division II title was just another beginning.
How could anyone argue otherwise when the Golden Bears have the Ayuen sisters helping lead the way?
The trio of siblings combined for 39 points, lifting Sierra Pacific to a 56–47 victory over St Joseph for the CIF Division II state championship on Saturday at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
It is the program’s second state title in school history and the first since 2018.
Golden Bears coach Victor Chavarin Jr. took over the program in 2024 for then-head coach Amy Bush and promised in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was “committed to continuing the work of Coach Bush and fostering a culture of family and building that championship spirit.”
Apajok Ayuen led Sierra Pacific with 15 points, while sisters Ayak Ayuen and Naine Ayuen added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
“These girls just have a fight in them,” he said.“And a mentality of never giving up. No matter the difficult competition, they’re ready to fight.”
It is hard to imagine the 25-11 Golden Bears began the season 0-6, but those losses came against tough competition, including Clovis West, Sierra Canyon and Mater Dei.
If anything, the early struggles helped prepare Sierra Pacific for the long season ahead.
The Golden Bears believed they were good enough to win both a section and state title.
Mission accomplished.
Chavarin has delivered on that promise, and it helps to have a talented roster that includes Lylah Love, who scored 13 points and was named the game’s most valuable player.
“We learned patience, resilience, and how to rely on one another,” Chavarin said.“A championship wasn’t going to come overnight, but we knew we had the skills and ability to do it.”
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Anthony Galaviz writes about sports for The Fresno Bee. He covers the Las Vegas Raiders, high schools, boxing, MMA and junior colleges. He’s been with The Bee since 1997 and attended Fresno City College before graduating from Fresno State with a major in journalism and a minor in criminology.
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