Etiwanda, Ontario Christian girls basketball further indicate they’re teams to beat in California

Taking down national-ranked opponents, Ontario Christian and Etiwanda girls’ are teams to beat after impressive performances at the Hoophall Classic.

Ontario Christian (CA) sophomore Kaleena Smith drives for a layup against Christ the King (NY) in 2025 Hoophall Classic. / Basketball HOF

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. — Traveling 3,000 miles from California to Massachusetts for a basketball game is no easy task, especially when considering time difference and snowy weather.

The Ontario Christian and Etiwanda girls basketball teams made the trek to play in the Spalding Hoophall Classic over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, and both further proved it‘s likely a two-team race for the CIF Southern Section Open Division title in March — and possibly forging the eventual CIF State Open Division winner.

Etiwanda (16-4) snapped Incarnate Word’s 141-game winning streak Monday thanks to Aliyahna ‘Puff’ Morris’ 26 points. Grace Knox tallied 13 points and 12 rebounds including back-to-back baskets in the final two minutes to help ice the game.

Ontario Christian beat Christ the King (NY) 87-75 on Friday thanks to Kaleena Smith’s stellar 26-point, 12-assist game in front of UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma. The Eagles got help from freshman guard Tatianna Griffin, who scored 26 points herself.

Ontario Christian moved to 23-1 and is ranked No. 3 nationally in High School on SI’s rankings. Etiwanda sits at No. 8, and will likely move up after the big win.

Grace Knox with the lay-in cutting down the lane. Etiwanda leads Incarnate Word 12-7 late in the 1Q. pic.twitter.com/I29AsEMLhI

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) January 20, 2025

When looking at the girls basketball landscape in the CIF Southern Section, the teams that are likely to help make up the top-half of section Open Division playoff field are Mater Dei (19-2) and Sierra Canyon (17-1). Mater Dei is led by Iowa commit Addison Deal and Sierra Canyon is led by sophomore phenom Jerzy Robinson.

On a state level, Archbishop Mitty (12-3), the queens of Northern California, are learning about life without All-American junior McKenna Woliczko, who recently tore her ACL and will be out the rest of the season. Mitty lost both games at the Hoophall Classic.

Etiwanda has played a national schedule and has a quality victory over Sidwell Friends (DC), and losses that are just as impressive, falling to Ontario Christian, Duncanville and Long Island Lutheran — all nationally-ranked teams.

HOOPHALL: Kaleena Smith. Ontario Christian. 🪣

The top-ranked sophomore has Ontario Christian leading Christ the King (NY) 30-15 in 2Q. pic.twitter.com/cUnonRQwst

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) January 17, 2025

Ontario Chrisitan has beaten Etiwanda, Duncanville, Mater Dei, Windward, Mitty and Christ the King. The Eagles’ lone loss came to Mitty in mid December with Woliczko in the lineup.

The CIF Southern Section regular season ends on Feb. 5. As of now, the crystal ball sees Ontario Christian and Etiwanda destined for a clash in the Open Division final on March 1.

For years, pundits and media members alike prognosticated Etiwanda and Sierra Canyon to meet in the finals — and they did for three straight years. Forecasting in 2025 doesn’t seem too much different. Only time will tell …