By the time Etiwanda and Ontario Christian took the court for Saturday night’s CIF Southern California Regional Open Division semifinal it was already known who the winner would meet.
News was spreading through the gym that Sage Hill had just upset Sierra Canyon 57-54 in Chatsworth in the other Open semifinal — one of the most shocking upsets in state basketball history.
Amalia Holguin scored 26 points, including a pair of free throws which gave Sage Hill a three-point lead in the closing seconds.
Sierra Canyon’s Delaney White received the ensuing inbounds pass, dribbled into the frontcourt, pulled up behind the three-point line and launched a potential tying jumper, but it hit the rim and bounced off.
South Carolina commit Jerzy Robinson, who had netted 32 points in Sierra Canyon’s victory over Ontario Christian in the Southern Section final, scored 26 points against the Lightning, who had a 22-game winning streak broken by Ontario Christian in the section semifinals.
On Tuesday, fourth-seeded Sage Hill (28-5) will travel inland to face second-seeded Ontario Christian (32-2) with a trip to Sacramento at stake. The host Knights used their balanced attack and nine three-pointers to simply overwhelm defending state champion Etiwanda, 80-66.
After being held to one basket in the first quarter, Kaleena Smith came alive and finished with 23 points to pace the Knights. As USC women’s coach Lindsay Gottlieb watched the action intently from the bleachers, sophomore Tatianna Griffin had 18 points, freshman phenom Chloe Jenkins had 16 points and Dani Robinson added 13 for Ontario Christian.
“Our mindset all week in practice has been win or go home,” Smith said. “We don’t have a second chance now. If we lose, we’re out.”
Etiwanda’s Arynn Finley is guarded by Ontario Christian’s Kaleena Smith during the Southern California Open Division regional semifinals on Saturday. Finley scored 30 points in Etiwanda’s 80-66 loss.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
“Losing in the [Southern Section] finals lit a huge fire under us,” Griffin added. “It was a good lesson for us and translated into our effort as a group.”
Arynn Finley had 30 points and Chasity Rice added 15 for the third-seeded Eagles (30-4), who trailed 34-26 at halftime.
Ontario Christian beat Sage Hill by 32 points in the Southern Section semifinals, but Knights coach Aundre Cummings said his squad will not be overconfident.
“We got to this point last year and that was it,” he said. “We’re gonna respect both teams, whether it was Sierra Canyon or Sage Hill, which we now know it is. We’ll get their best game but, our girls will be ready.”
Another upset occurred in Division I, where No. 5 Corona Centennial knocked off top-seeded Mater Dei, 60-48. The Huskies (22-5) travel to Temecula to take on No. 2 Rancho Christian (an 85-79 winner against San Diego Francis Parker) in the regional finals Tuesday.
No. 2 Santa Maria St. Joseph beat Rosary Academy 68-63 and hosts No. 4 Saugus (a 64-43 victor over Birmingham) in the Division II finals Tuesday. In Division III, Leuzinger beat King/Drew 66-54 and Placentia El Dorado edged Anaheim Canyon, 44-39.
Fifth-seeded Palisades took down No. 1 Marina in Division IV and will travel to Santa Ana to play No. 2 Godinez Fundamental, which edged No. 3 Tulare Union, 41-39.
The Division V regional final will match sixth-seeded Schurr (a 43-35 winner over second-seeded Vista) against fourth-seeded Laguna Hills, which stunned No. 1 Rosamond 37-31.
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