Column: Sierra Canyon too much for Mater Dei in CIF Southern Section Open Division championship
LONG BEACH -- We've seen BJ Boston games from Sierra Canyon this season, Harold Yu and Shy Odom games, and even a Bronny James game. Tonight was a Ziaire Williams game for the Trailblazers and it came in the biggest one of them all, the Southern Section Open Division championship. The senior scored 23 points to lead Sierra Canyon to its second straight Southern Section Open Division title, a 59-48 victory over red hot Mater Dei.
"I'm happy for Z-Will," Sierra Canyon sophomore Amari Bailey said after the win. "He pulled us in. It was a great team win."
The Trailblazers led by six at the half and seven after three quarters. Mater Dei never really made it interesting on Friday. Coming into the championship, Mater Dei was on fire. They'd beaten Corona Centennial, Rancho Christian and Harvard-Westlake all on the road to reach the title game.
But on Friday, the Monarchs looked pedestrian for stretches. Sierra Canyon defended well overall, but Mater Dei had open looks especially from three, that didn't go down. The Monarchs went 5/21 from downtown, which comes out to 24%. Against Sierra Canyon, that was never going to cut it.
Both teams will now prepare for the state playoffs. Sierra Canyon is trying to win a third straight state title. Mater Dei will try and play spoiler.
