Lift for Life tops Chillicothe in overtime in Missouri Class 4 girls basketball semifinal showdown

Sophomore Zha'Viarra Harris scores career-high 32 points

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI — The Lift for Life girls basketball team is headed back to the state championship game thanks to a career game from sophomore guard Zha'Viarra Harris.

Harris scored a career-high 32 points to lead the Hawks to a thrilling 85-77 overtime victory against Chillicothe in the Missouri Class 4 semifinals on Wednesday night at Mizzou Arena.

Lift for Life (27-3), which won the 2021 Class 3 championship, will play Park Hills Central (27-4) in the Class 4 title game at 8 p.m. Thursday. Park Hills Central defeated Lift for Life, 46-42, in the Class 4 quarterfinals a year ago to punch its ticket to state.

Sophomore guard Diamond Polk scored 19 points for Lift for Life and freshman guard Amaya Manuel added 16 points and seven rebounds.

Chillicothe senior guard Jolie Bonderer, who is headed to William Jewell next year, led the Lady Hornets (27-2) with a career-high 36 points and added nine rebounds and nine assists. Elizabeth Oliver, a junior forward, added 14 points.  

Lift for Life led 19-16 after one quarter and 38-33 at halftime before Chillicothe outscored the Hawks 21-16 in the third quarter to tie the score. 

Each team scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime, but Lift for Life dominated the extra four-minute frame, outscoring the Lady Hornets 16-8.

Park Hills Central uses second-half surge to beat Owensville in Missouri Class 4 girls basketball semifinals

Missouri Class 4 girls basketball semifinals: Lift for Life - Chillicothe

Photos by Nate Latsch

Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27062
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27060
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27061
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27063
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27064
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27065
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27066
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27067
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27068
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27069
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27070
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27071
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27072
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27073
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27074
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27075
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27076
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27077
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27078
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27079
Lift for Life Chillicothe Missouri girls basketball March 13 2024 Nate Latsch 27080

Download the SBLive Sports app

To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App

- Nate Latsch | latsch@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveMiz


Published
Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports
NATE LATSCH, SBLIVE SPORTS

Nate Latsch is a Regional Editor at SBLive Sports overseeing high school coverage for Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. A veteran sportswriter and multimedia content creator, Latsch has covered high school sports in the St. Louis area and Missouri for 20 years, with a focus on high school football, basketball, baseball and football and basketball recruiting.  He has worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, STLhighschoolsports.com, the Associated Press, FOX Sports Midwest, MLB.com and Scout.com.  In addition to covering high school sports, Latsch has covered youth, college and professional sports, including covering the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues and St. Louis Rams, the University of Missouri and Saint Louis University.