Juju Watkins and Sierra Canyon top Etiwanda in national showdown for CIF Open Divison championship: 4 takeaways

(Lead file photo by Nick Koza)

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Juju Watkins led the way with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks on Saturday as Sierra Canyon defeated Etiwanda 70-57 for a CIF Southern Section Open Division championship at the Honda Center.

Sierra Canyon, the No. 1 team in the country, remained undefeated and moved to 30-0 on the season in winning its first CIFSS Open Division title under head coach Alicia Komaki.

Here are four takeaways from the game: 

1. WATKINS' RESUME NOW COMPLETE

Usually when going through takeaways, we start by breaking down the game before finishing with games' significance. Not this time though. That's because the one title that had alluded 5-star senior Juju Watkins, the top-ranked prospect in the country, is no more. 

It was the first section crown for Watkins, who transferred to Sierra Canyon in 2021-22, when Etiwanda defeated the Trailblazers in the Open Division title game. Sierra Canyon returned the favor in the Southern California regionals en route to a state Open Division title. 

That's why this win was extra important for the 6-foot-1 guard, who was just 4 of 16 from the floor but drained 16 of 18 free throws. In addition to winning a state title, Watkins had put up surreal numbers, dominated regular seasons about as much as possible, and achieved all the individual accolades in the world including Gatorade State Player of the Year, but was 0-2 in CIFSS championships. The USC signee had plenty of help on Saturday from Izela Arenas (19 points) and Mackenly Randolph (17 points, 11 rebounds). 

2. SC GOES BIG, AND IT COMES UP HUGE

Komaki made a big shakeup to the game plan from when SC split two postseason meetings with Etiwanda last season.

Starting point guard Kayla Malek did not play at all, and sharpshooting combo guard Christy Reynoso, a leader of SC's second unit, hardly played as well. Instead, the Trailblazers started 6-4 freshman C Emilia Krstevski and had her face guard Etiwanda leading scorer Kennedy Smith. 

"We went big. We felt like we had to go big," said Komaki. "It was all about matchups."

Krstevski is uncommonly adept at guarding in space for a freshman of her size and build, and she led the charge in suppressing one of the top-ranked forwards and juniors in the country. Smith, already hampered by patellar tendonitis and cramps, was held to one field goal in the first half and missed much of the second half as her leg issues flared up. She scored three buckets down the stretch upon returning, showing more rhythm than before she exited, but finished with 12 points on 4-17 shooting.

Meanwhile, SC starting F Crystal Wang, who's long, quick, and versatile at 6-2, was assigned to 4-star PG Aliyahna Morris. Like Smith, Morris attacked the potential mismatch relentlessly, oftentimes in isolation, but the combination of Wang's length and Sierra Canyon's active help rotations kept her at bay. Morris, who played all 32 minutes, still managed a team-high 17 points to go with 3 assists, but was uncharacteristically inefficient from the field, which was also due to her willingness to create out of scratch when plays were blown up with shot clocks winding down.

"All in all, their length bothered us," said Etiwanda head coach Stan Delus.

"We'll do a better job of getting their shot-blockers out of position a little bit more next game. I think we'll see them again."

This was one of the most impressive defensive outings yet for the Trailblazers, and one would be hard-pressed to find many high school teams in history with more length and quickness that also execute customized defensive plans as well as SC did on Saturday.

3. FOULS PLAGUE ETIWANDA

Both of these teams are plenty physical – that's an understatement – but Etiwanda in particular has long hung its hat on physicality.

In the first quarter, the refs were letting the teams play as much as any old school basketball could've hoped. When they quickly cracked down a bit on the immense physicality in the second quarter and onward, Etiwanda struggled to avoid fouling. The Eagles held Watkins to 4-16 shooting from the field, which is an extraordinary defensive feat, but she scored 24 points on 16-18 shooting from the stripe. And Sierra Canyon spent much of the rest of the game in the bonus.

"I thought it was extremely physical, which is what we expected," said Komaki. 

"More than anything, I'm proud of the growth we've shown in our composure, being able to handle physical games and hold onto leads. We're a very different team than we were a year ago."

4. ETIWANDA IN GOOD SHAPE FOR POTENTIAL REMATCH

A lot of things went against Etiwanda in this one. It wasn't the kind of shooting night the Eagles would hope for, they struggled with a foul disparity, Smith and Majesty Cade (who scored 13 points) were cramping up continually, Sa'lah Hemingway briefly exited the game after falling straight on her face in crunch time, and Sierra Canyon at one point opened up a 17-point lead. That's larger than what Etiwanda came back from when they won this battle a year ago.

And yet, the Eagles came very close to getting in striking distance before SC won by 13, as they cut the lead down to seven points and finished the game with some momentum.

Delus praised his team's persistence and resiliency multiple times after the game, and rightfully so. They looked the part of one of the physically and mentally toughest teams in high school basketball.

"My girls fought all the way through. We got [the deficit] down to seven in the last minute. That showed that we can compete when we don't foul and we take care of the ball."

Cade finished with 13 points, and Hemingway totaled 9 points, 15 rebounds, and a game-high 4 assists.

Both teams will be picked into the Southern California Regional Open Division, which will be released on Sunday. A rematch could be in store. And no Southern Section Open Division winner has gone on to win the Southern Regional championship since Windward in the 2017-18 season. There are numerous reasons that Etiwanda has to be optimistic about its chances in a potential rematch if it can tune up the small handful of persistent issues from this loss.

Photos below from Nick Koza