For the second time in Sierra Canyon basketball history, the boys and girls will each play in the CIF Southern Section Open Division finals on Saturday.
For as many times as each program has played in the section’s most highly-touted game, it’s still rare that they’re both there at the same time. The Sierra Canyon boys will be playing in the program’s sixth Open final and the girls will be in their fifth.
Including this season, that’s 11 total appearances since 2016. Going into Saturday, the boys are 2-3 and the girls are 1-3 in Open finals.
Sierra Canyon’s boys (26-1) will take on Mission League foe Harvard-Westlake (26-5) at 6 p.m. at the Toyota Arena in Ontario before the Sierra Canyon girls (29-2) take the floor against defending champion Ontario Christian (31-1) at 8 p.m.
Both games will be televised on Spectrum SportsNet and streamed online via NFHSNetwork.
SIERRA CANYON GIRLS IN OPEN
2019, lost to Windward (73-58)
2022, lost to Etiwanda (69-57)
2023, win over Etiwanda (70-57)
2024, lost to Etiwanda (65-44)
BOYS IN OPEN
2016, lost to Chino Hills (105-83)
2018, lost to Mater Dei (55-53)
2019, win over Bishop Montgomery (64-57)
2020, win over Mater Dei (59-48)
2021, lost to Centennial (82-70)
MANUFACTURED VS. GROWN
The most glaring storyline to the boys’ game is the glaring disparity in the way each program runs. Sierra Canyon is a haven for accepting transfers in bulk. Just this year alone, the Trailblazers boast four new impact transfers in Brandon McCoy Jr., DeLan Grant, Brannon Martinsen and JJ Sati-Grier.
Since the 2020-21 season, Sierra Canyon has accepted 31 basketball transfers. In that same window, Harvard-Westlake has taken in just two, including Joe Sterling, who is the Wolverines’ top player headed to Texas.
Harvard-Westlake has Open Division championship pedigree, too. The Wolverines will be making their third CIF Open appearance since 2022. Harvard-Westlake won the California basketball triple in 2024 when it won the Open section, regional and state titles.
What will win the day — the talent or the togetherness?
Saturday will mark the first time in Open Division era history that two teams from the same league will clash in the final.
TOP PLAYERS STATS
Sierra Canyon: Brandon McCoy 19.2 ppg, 7.4 rebs; Maxi Adams 16.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg; Brannon Martinsen 13.0 ppg
Harvard-Westlake: Joe Sterling 22.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg; Amir Jones 12 ppg; Pierce Thompson 11 ppg; Dom Bentho 10 ppg
SIERRA CANYON GIRLS VS. KALEENA SMITH
For the Sierra Canyon girls, the focus is easy: stop Kaleena Smith.
Smith is the nation’s top player, regardless of class. She’s only a junior and is averaging 32.5 points per game. She’s being recruited by Connecticut and South Carolina — she’s the real deal.
But so is Sierra Canyon’s Jerzy Robinson. Robinson is a South Carolina commit averaging 21 points and 8.1 rebounds per game this season. She’s accompanied by center Emilia Krstevski, an Oregon commit, averaging 11.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
Sierra Canyon coach Alicia Komaki will be making her fourth CIF Southern Section Open Division championship appearance since 2022. The girls Open final has included Sierra Canyon, Etiwanda or Ontario Christian for the last five years.
