High School

CIF girls basketball playoffs: Open Division juggernauts set for unofficial semifinals (video)

The stage is set for Saturday night. Ontario Christian hosts Sierra Canyon and Etiwanda hosts Mater Dei. Winners will advance to the Open Division final.

Tarek Fattal

Sierra Canyon girls basketball coach Alicia Komaki watches on as her team plays at home against Harvard-Westlake.
Sierra Canyon girls basketball coach Alicia Komaki watches on as her team plays at home against Harvard-Westlake. / Jose Montanez

The CIF Southern Section high school girls basketball playoffs resumed Wednesday night with quarterfinals action.

The significance of a quarterfinal victory isn't just moving on, but earning an automatic CIF State playoff berth. The final four teams in each division — those that reach the semifinals — will advance to the state playoffs even if they lose in the semis.

However, all eyes are on the girls Open Division. As projected, the top four seeds are still unbeaten heading into Saturday's final round of pool play. No. 1 Ontario Christian (2-0) will host No. 4 Sierra Canyon (2-0) in Pool A. No. 2 Etiwanda (2-0) will host No. 4 Mater Dei (2-0) in Pool B.

Both games will serve as an unofficial semifinal. Winners will advance to the Open Division final on Saturday March 1 at the Toyota Arena in Ontario.

Ontario Christian is led by Kaleena Smith, the No. 1 sophomore in the country, and Sierra Canyon is led by the No. 1 junior in Jerzy Robinson. Robinson is averaging 32 points per game in Open Division play.

The Etiwanda-Mater Dei game will have three McDonald's All-Americans in it. Etiwanda's Aliyahna Morris and Grace Knox. Mater Dei has Iowa commit Addison Deal.

GIRLS PLAYOFF SCORES, BRACKETS

BOYS PLAYOFF BRACKETS

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Tarek Fattal, SBLive Sports
TAREK FATTAL

Tarek Fattal has been covering high school sports since 2015 in Southern California and primarily in Los Angeles, covering notable athletes such as Bronny James, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Alyssa Thompson. He was with the LA Daily News for eight years, which included being the beat reporter for the UCLA men's basketball team. Tarek can be seen on TV regularly on CBS/KCAL as a sports analyst with Jim Hill.

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