CIF Southern Section Open Division girls basketball playoff bracket: Sierra Canyon No. 1, Etiwanda No. 2
The great debate of who is the No. 1 girls basketball team in Southern California will be decided on the court.
Etiwanda, the defending CIF State Open Division champions and ranked higher nationally by SBLive Sports and MaxPreps (human rankings), is No. 2 in the Southern Section Open Division playoffs as revealed a short time ago.
Sierra Canyon (26-1), which beat Etiwanda in last year's SS Open champion before the Eagles earned revenge in the regional finals, is the No. 1 overall seed in the eight-team top division of the section.
Unlike the other 10 divisions, the eight-team Open tournament is pool play and both the Trailblazers (Pool A) and Etiwanda (Pool B) are top seed in each of their four-team pools. So it really makes no difference.
The winners of the two pools meet for the championship at a neutral site, Cal Baptist on Feb. 23. Pool play for the Open doesn't begin until Saturday.
Etiwanda and Sierra Canyon have played some epic battles since 2018 with the Eagles winning four of seven, including the last game — a 55-54 Southern California regional final last season, in Watkins last prep game. This was after Sierra Canyon rolled in the section finals, 70-57.
The teams splite two meetings in 2022, with Etiwanda winning the section finals, 69-57, before Sierra Canyon turned that around in the regional finals, 60-51 en route to the state championship.
Serria Canyon beat Etiwands 62-58 in a 2018 regular season game, but lost 63-62 in the playoffs. Etiwanda also recorded a 56-46 win over the Trailblazers in 2020. The teams have yet to meet in 2023-24.
Etiwanda (23-3) is led the trio of nationally ranked recruits Kennedy Smith (a McDonald's All-American), Aliyahna "Puff" Morris and Grace Knox, while Sierra Canyon features McDonald's All-American Mackenly Randolph, Izela Arenas and high-scoring sophomore Jerzy Robinson.
Other teams in Pool A are No. 4 Mater Dei (22-6), No. 5 Sage Hill (22-2) and No. 8 Orangewood Academy (21-6).
The other Pool B entrants are No. 3 Ontario Christian (24-3), No. 6 Bishop Montgomery (18-3) and No. 7 Corona Centennial (18-10).
Ontario Christian, led by one of the nation's leading scorers in freshman Kaleeena Smith (35.2 points per game), and Sage Hill are also nationally ranked by SBLive and capable of big upsets.
POOL A
1. Sierra Canyon (26-1)
4. Mater Dei (22-6)
5. Sage Hill (22-6)
8. Orangewood Academy (21-6)
POOL B
2. Etiwanda (23-3)
3. Ontario Christian (24-3)
6. Bishop Montgomery (18-3)
7. Corona Centennial (18-10)
OPEN DIVISION SCHEDULE
Feb. 10
Orangewood Academy at Sierra Canyon
Sage Hill at Mater Dei
Corona Centennial at Etiwanda
Bishop Montgomery at Ontario Christian
Feb. 14
Sage Hill at Sierra Canyon
Orangewood Academy at Mater Dei
Bishop Montgomery at Etiwanda
Corona Centennial at Ontario Christian
Feb. 17
Mater Dei at Sierra Canyon
Orangewood Academy at Sage Hill
Ontario christian at Etiwanda
Corona Centennial at Bishop Montgomery
Mackenly Randolph, Sierra Canyon McDonald's All-American
Photo: Nick Koza
