The Portsmouth High School girls basketball team captured at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference championship following Thursday night’s 61-25 victory at South Point.

Submitted photo

PORTSMOUTH — For 40 years, the Isrealites wondered in the desert.

For 40 years, the Portsmouth Lady Trojans endured a drought of their own — without a conference championship in girls basketball.

However, that cup of everlasting victory runneth over for the Lady Trojans as of Thursday night —and their 40-year wait without a league title is officially history.

That’s because Portsmouth, now 17-2 and 13-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference, clinched at least a share of the OVC championship —thanks to their 61-25 runaway win at South Point.

On Monday night, the host Lady Trojans triumphed over Ironton by a similar 60-26 score — in which Portsmouth junior Daysha Reid scored her 1,000th career point.

Reid, who poured in a game-high 18 points against Ironton and made three three-point goals, scored her milestone marker in the third quarter —on her final three-ball of the night.

She also made three two-pointers, and 3-of-4 free throws in the win.

Portsmouth junior Daysha Reid (3) scored her 1000th career point in the Lady Trojans’ 60-26 Ohio Valley Conference girls basketball victory over Ironton.

File photo courtesy of Joann Waugh

Speaking of winning, Portsmouth has done plenty of that the past two seasons — winning 19 tilts last year, and claiming the Southeast District Division III runner-up.

They were also the OVC runners-up last year, but with 13 wins in 13 bouts and only Monday night’s (Feb. 5) heavyweight return trek at Fairland remaining, Thursday’s win wrapped up at least a share.

The Lady Trojans, should they defeat host Fairland (12-1 OVC) and complete the season sweep of the Lady Dragons, will not only go undefeated in the OVC —but will win the championship outright.

Still, they have a piece of the pie already —as the 1984 conference crown came clear back as members of Ohio Kentucky Athletic Conference.

That year — for context — Ronald Reagan was President of the United States, Los Angeles was preparing to host the summer Olympic Games, and The Neverending Story was the major movie making the rounds in theatres.

Portsmouth joined the now defunct Southeastern Ohio Athletic League in 2006, and became OVC members with the 2015-16 academic year.

The OKAC, by the way, is also out of existence.

In addition to Reid, standout sophomore Sienna Allen added a dozen points against the Fighting Tigers —as freshman Keke Woods went for 10 points on three field goals and 4-of-4 free throws.

Against South Point, four Lady Trojans tallied double figures —Allen with 16, Reid and Woods with 12 apiece, and freshman Hayven Carter with 11.

All four, along with freshman Bry Shannon and six-foot and three-inch junior Savannah Cantrell, canned a three-point goal — as Allen made two.

The Lady Trojans, which have added non-league Russell (Ky.) to round out their regular-season and home schedule, face Fairland on Monday night —as a Lady Dragons’ win means Fairland clinches at least an OVC share for the fourth straight season.

On Jan. 8, Portsmouth prevailed 55-51 over the Lady Dragons in Trojan Arena —as the Lady Trojans snapped Fairland’s 44-game OVC win streak in the process.

Reach Paul Boggs at (740) 353-3101 ext. 1926, by email at [email protected], or on X @paulboggssports © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved