No. 1 Fairview ran its usual fast-paced game on Friday to win the program’s 16 state championship. The Panthers beat No. 2 Bell City 72-65 for the Class B state championship at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

Senior point guard Reesie Jinks lead the Panthers (37-5) to their fifth state championship in six seasons. The senior won her third state title game MVP award. She scored 32 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter. She added five assists and three steals and went 11 of 16 from the free throw line. In the 2024 finals, she scored 39 points and had a 24-point, 13-assist double-double in the 2022 state championship game.

The Panthers never slowed as they attempted 82 shots, including 54 from 3-point range. They scored 33 points off 3-pointers led by Jinks (3), Andi Stanley (2) and Ellie Goleman (2).

The pace in the first quarter was frenetic with the teams combining for 51 points. Jinks scored nine points, and the Panthers came out of the first quarter with a 27-24 lead. Fairview led 43-34 at halftime.

Bell City, playing in its first state championship game since 1973, outshot the Panthers percentage-wise, making 46.3 percent of their shots, but led only once by a point in the first quarter after a 5-0 run.

Bell City (25-4) won the battle in the paint, scoring 38 points, but struggled to keep the Panthers off the boards. Fairview outrebounded Bell City 57-38 and scored 30 second chance points.

The Bruins got into foul trouble in the fourth quarter as three starters fouled out.

Braylee Brabham led Bell City with 22 points and six rebounds. Payton Herpin had 17 points, nine rebounds and five blocks, and Kenadie Armentor finished with 14 points. Klancie Hebert had eight points and 11 rebounds.

Fairview got a double-double out of Andi Stanely (10 points, 10 rebounds), and Avery Williams had seven points, 15 rebounds and five assists.