Sierra Canyon girls basketball loses to Etiwanda for third consecutive time
By Jacob H. Pollon
The Sierra Canyon girls basketball team came up just of the Open Division state championship game for a second consecutive year after a close 54-51 setback against Etiwanda last Tuesday night in the So. Cal. state regional final.
A week earlier Etiwanda knocked off Sierra Canyon to win the Southern Section Open Division championship with a 65-44 win at Cal Baptist Univ.
Tuesday’s win was the third consecutive loss for the Trailblazers against Etiwanda, including last year’s state regional final.
Sierra Canyon was a lot closer this last game than it was in the section final.
The Trailblazers tied the game at 42-42 before a Grace Knox 3-pointer untied the game and kick-started a mini 7-0 run. Sierra Canyon got to within 49-48 in the final 90 seconds but couldn’t get over the hump.
Sierra Canyon (31-3) got off to a great start and led 7-0 letting everyone know things would be different. But, Etiwanda countered with an 8-0 run and the game would ebb-and-flow from there.
Jerzy Robinson, who will be the face of the program for the next two years, scored 25 points to lead Sierra Canyon.
Emilia Krstevski scored 14 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Mackenly Randolph scored 10 points.
Louisville-bound guard Izela Arenas was held to just two points.
Knox had 17 points to lead Etiwanda, which only received seven points (albeit all in the fourth quarter) from McDonald’s All-American Kennedy Smith.
Puff Morris scored 12 points and Arynn Finley added 10 points for Etiwanda.
The future is bright with Robinson and Krstevski for Sierra Canyon.