CIF State Basketball Playoffs: Sierra Canyon Headed to Another Open Division Final; Championship Schedule

It took fending off Harvard-Westlake twice, but the Sierra Canyon boys basketball team is headed to the CIF State Open Division final for the fourth time in program history after defeating the Wolverines 63-57 at home Tuesday night.

Maxi Adams led the way with 26 points and nine rebounds. Brannon Martinsen had 11 and Brandon McCoy added 10 points and five assists. Harvard-Westlake's Joe Sterling had 19 points in his final high school game.

The Open final is set for 8 p.m. at the Golden 1 Center on Saturday night against the Northern California champion Salesian Prep which defeated Archbishop Riordan 59-54 in overtime.

Sierra Canyon won back-to-back CIF State Open Division titles in 2018 and 2019. The Trailblazers were looking to win a third straight in 2020 but just before the state championships were played, the pandemic stopped everything. Though 2020's final never got played, Tuesday night' still marks the program's fourth CIF State Open Division regional final victory.

Sierra Canyon is 4-0 all-time in CIF State finals, including last year's CIF State Division I crowning.

Sierra Canyon edged Harvard-Westlake 59-53 just over a week ago in the CIF Southern Section Open Division final at the Toyota Center in Ontario on March 28.

DAMIEN STUNS ST. JOHN BOSCO IN DI

Damien point guard Elijah Smith scored a team-high 20 points to lead the Spartans to a 48-41 road victory over St. John Bosco to lift the CIF State Division I regional crown.

Eli Gardner added 16 points in the win. St. John Bosco McDonald's All-American Christian Collins was held to 15 points.

Damien, led by longtime coach Mike LeDuc, will take on Folsom in the CIF State Division 1 title game Friday night in Sacramento at 8 p.m.

SOCAL REGIONAL FINAL RESULTS

BOYS
OPEN: Sierra Canyon 63. Harvard-Westlake 57
DI: Damien 48, St. John Bosco 41
DII: Bakersfield Christian 59, Palisades 57
DIII: Birmingham 73, Colony 58
DIV: San Juan Hills 74, Tulare Union 66
DV: Sylmar 66, Coalinga 58

GIRLS
OPEN: Ontario Christian 73, Sage Hill 51
DI: Centennial 81, Rancho Christian 61
DII: St. Joseph 60, Saugus 55
DIII: El Dorado 61, Leuzinger 56
DIV: Palisades 54, Godinez Fundamental 38
DV: Laguna Hills 43, Schurr 24

CIF STATE FINALS SCHEDULE

Friday, March 13

10 a.m. DV Girls – Laguna Hills (21-11) vs. Woodland Christian (32-3)

12 p.m. DV Boys – Sylmar (24-12) vs. San Marin (21-13)

2 p.m. DIII Girls – El Dorado, Placentia (23-14) vs. Valley Christian, San Jose (16-15)

4 p.m. DIII Boys – Birmingham (22-8) vs. Cornerstone Christian (28-8)

6 p.m. DI Girls – Centennial, Corona (23-5) vs. Clovis (26-10)

8 p.m. DI Boys – Damien (31-7) vs. Folsom (29-6)

Saturday, March 14

10 a.m. DIV Girls – Palisades (16-13) vs. Faith Christian, Yuba City (33-1)

12 p.m. DIV Boys – San Juan Hills (21-14) vs. Sacred Heart Prep (20-11)

2 p.m. DII Girls – St. Joseph, Santa Maria (17-15) vs. Sierra Pacific (24-11)

4 p.m. DII Boys – Bakersfield Christian (24-11) vs. San Joaquin Memorial (27-7)

6 p.m. Open Division Girls – Ontario Christian (33-2) vs. Archbishop Mitty (28-2)

8 p.m. Open Division Boys – Sierra Canyon (29-1) vs. Salesian, Richmond (29-3)