Etiwanda wins Southern Section Open Division championship with 65-44 victory against Sierra Canyon
By Jacob H. Pollon
The Sierra Canyon girls basketball team was trying to knock off Etiwanda for its second consecutive Southern Section Open Division Championship.
Etiwanda didn’t cooperate and came away with a 65-44 victory. The Eagles (29-3) used a dominant second half to pull away.
Grace Knox, a transfer from Tennessee, scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Etiwanda, which also received 13 points and 11 rebounds from McDonald’s All-American Kennedy Smith.
Knox scored 11 points in the third quarter, including a 3-pointer and three-point play on consecutive possessions to help create separation. Etiwanda used a 12-2 run to extend a 20-17 advantage and put Sierra Canyon on its heels.
Mykelle Richards and Aliyahna Morris each scored 13 points for Etiwanda in a balanced offensive attack. Richards made two 3-pointers in the first quarter. Morros did most of her damage in the fourth quarter to hold off any Trailblazers challenge.
Sierra Canyon (30-2) was led by sophomore Jerzy Robinson with 17 points and 15 rebounds. McDonald’s All-American Mackenly Randolph scored 14 points and 16 rebounds. The Trailblazers didn’t get much else production.
Izela Arenas scored 11 points and Christy Reynoso scored a layup late.
The teams are no strangers to each other.
Etiwanda won the 2022 section title before Sierra Canyon came back to beat the Eagles in the state regional final on its way to the state championship.
Last year, Sierra Canyon won the section title before Etiwanda came back to beat the Trailblazers in the state regional final on its way to the state championship.
The teams are expected to meet March 5th for a third consecutive year in the state regional final.