Sierra Canyon Knocks Off Ontario Christian For Open Division Girls' Basketball Title

Not excessively galore “experts” believed Sierra Canyon could triumph Saturday night’s Southern Section Open Division girls’ hoops last against defending champion and top-seeded Ontario Christian.

However, Jerzy Robinson and her teammates judge did. Led by their South Carolina-bound senior, nan Trailblazers won nan precocious section title for nan 2nd clip successful 4 seasons pinch a gritty 69-62 triumph astatine Toyota Arena successful Ontario.

Robinson epitomized Sierra Canyon’s “refuse to lose” mindset. She played each 32 minutes, finishing pinch a game-high 32 points and 12 rebounds. Afterward, she stood connected nan squad bench, waved her arms and shouted to nan Trailblazer religious they were “No. 1.”

And they are — for now. The teams could upwind up facing each different again successful nan location playoffs, but this nighttime was Robinson’s to savor.

“This is for nan title and we wanted it much tonight,” said Robinson, who sealed nan triumph connected a layup disconnected an inbounds play pinch little than 20 seconds left. “This is what we activity truthful difficult each time for.”

On nan aforesaid tribunal and precisely 1 twelvemonth aft claiming its first Southern Section Open Division crown, Ontario Christian recovered retired conscionable really difficult it is to repeat. The Knights were outscored 18-6 successful nan 4th quarter.

Kaleena Smith, touted arsenic 1 of nan champion juniors successful nan country, came into nan title averaging 32.5 points per game, and she scored 30 successful nan head-to-head matchup pinch Robinson. Each had 17 points successful nan first half, Robinson banking successful a three-pointer from half tribunal astatine nan buzzer to propulsion nan Trailblazers to wrong six.

Ontario Christian prima Kaleena Smith floats down nan lane arsenic she attempts a layup against Sierra Canyon connected Saturday night.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

UC Irvine perpetrate Delaney White, a elder transportation from Oak Park, and elder halfway Emilia Krstevski each added 10 points for third-seeded Sierra Canyon (30-2), which past won nan Open title successful 2022-23 down Gatorade National Player of nan Year Juju Watkins, now astatine USC.

It was nan 2nd consecutive upset for nan Trailblazers, who had stunned No. 2 Etiwanda connected its location tribunal 4 days earlier.

“When we were down it conscionable made america play harder.” added Robinson, who is nan statement No. 1 enlistee successful nan 2026 class. “We were telling each other, ‘go retired location and get it!’ We’ve been moving connected our shot surface defense each twelvemonth and we relied connected it tonight.”

Sierra Canyon’s Emilia Krstevski drives for a layup against Ontario Christian successful nan Open Division final.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Dani Robinson scored 16 points for nan Knights (32-2), who were nan No. 1-ranked squad successful California and No. 2 nationally, having mislaid only erstwhile by 2 points to Bishop McNamara of Forestville, Md.

Since Smith arrived connected field successful 2023, Ontario Christian has won 89 of 98 games. Sierra Canyon, which was undefeated successful Mission League play, has won 12 successful a statement since a 70-60 nonaccomplishment to Long Island (N.Y.) Lutheran.

“My composure comes from my teammates,” Robinson said. “I person truthful overmuch religion successful them.”

The triumph came 2 hours aft nan boys’ squad hit Harvard-Westlake, giving nan Chatsworth schoolhouse a expanse of nan Open Division titles. Many of nan boys stayed to watch nan girls’ triumph.