CIF State Girls Open Division Championship Live Update: Short-handed Ontario Christian stuns No. 4 Mitty

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — They did it again and they did so short-handed.

Behind 24 points including four three-pointers by the nation's top junior recruit Kaleen Smith, Ontario Christian scored a 56-49 win over Mitty Saturday in the CIF Open Division championship at Golden 1 Center.

See all the play by play below.

PREGAME: In a matchup all girls basketball fans throughout the country anticipated, Archibishop Mitty hopes to get a giant goralla lifted from its shoulders when it meets Ontario Christian in the CIF State Open Division championship Saturday at Golden 1 Center.

Mitty won its sixth straight Northern California Open Division title on Tuesday with a lopsided win over Clovis West but goes after its very first state Open title. The Monarchs, led by McDonald's All-American and two-time High School On SI Player of the Year McKenna Woliczko, have lost four straight Open Division title games, once to Sierra Canyon and three times to Etiwanda.

In 2020, the Monarchs also qualified for the state's pnnacle game, but the pandemic wipe out the state-title game.

Ontario Christian (33-2) also won the Southern California regional with a lopsided win over Sage Hill, and hopes to beat the Monarchs for the second time this season.

If it’s anything like the first meeting between the teams, a 96-87 double-overtime win for Ontario Christian on Jan. 10 in the premier game of the Kay Yow Showcase at Mater Dei-Santa Ana, the fans will be in for a treat.

In that one, Ontario Christian’s Kaleena Smith, the nation’s top junior recruit, went for 50 points — the fourth time she’s gone for at least 50 — including her team’s final 11 in the second overtime to outlast the Monarchs, who led 73-61 with 4:08 left in regulation.

Smith, a 5-6 guard, also had four steals and made 9 of 10 free throws, where OC won the game, making 23 of 25 (92%) and Mitty was 16-for-28 (57%). That was only the fourth game back for Woliczko, coming off a torn ACL, but she had 25 points and 15 rebounds, while teammates Ze’ni Patterson (five three-pointers) added 21 points and Maliya Hunter and Devin Cosgriff added 13 apiece.

The teams split two meetings last year. Mitty is making its state record 17th appearance in the state finals — it qualified in 2020 but the games were concealed due to the pandemic — and has won six state titles, but none at the Open Division, losing the last four consecutively. Ontario Christian, which also features top sophomore recruit, 5-11 forward Tatiana Griffin, is making its state-finals debut.

An hour before the game, Tarek Fattal reported that Ontario Christian's star freshman, 6-foot guard Chloe Jenkins, averaging 14.7 points and a team-best 11.3 rebounds per game, will miss the game due to concussion protocols.

LIVE UPDATES: ONTARIO CHRISTIAN (33-2) VS. MITTY (28-2)

First quarter

Kaboom: Ontario Christian comes out hot. Dani Robinson with a three-pointer while being fouled for 4-0 lead and Kaleena Smith follows with another three-pointer. The Nights open up 10-3 lead. 4:15 1Q.

Mitty fights back: A 12-1 run, started with a 3-pointer by Emma Cook puts Mitty up 15-11. But Ontario closes with buckets from Tatianna Griffin and Dani Robinson. Tied after 1, 15-15.

Second quarter

Mitty on run: Sue Phillips, Mitty methodically trying to wear down Knights and it's working. Woliczko finishes off 8-0 run with second inside bucket. Mitty up 23-15. midway through 2Q. Without Jenkins, Ontario with little to no depth. Mitty meanwhile shuffling in fresh bodies left/right.

Grifin down: More bad news for Knights. Tatianna Griffin goes down on her bad leg that has heavy brace. She just made 3-pointer. 23-18 Mitty 3:05.

Halftime: Ontario Christian has Kaleena Smith and that makes a huge difference. She leads a 10-2 run to end half. Pretty passing. 3-point shots. Driving buckets. Man she's good. She has 11 points and four assists. Halftime: Ontario Christian 28, Mitty 27.

Halftime stats: For Ontario Christian, Smith with 11 points, four assists, Robinson and Archer with six. Griffin with five on just 2 of 10 shooting. Woliczko with 7 points for Mitty, Cosgriff six, Emma Cook 5. Mitty 10 of 27 from field, OC is 10 of 26. OC made four 3-pointers in 12 attempts, Mitty is 2-8. Rebounds: Both with 19. Turnovers: Mitty 6, Ontario Christian 5.

Third quarter

Ontario Christian 34, Mitty 33: Media timeout. Woliczko with a couple interior buckets, Smith with a beautiful in-rhthym 3. Two free throws by Skylah Archer (she has 8 vital points) gives OC the lead.

Mitty on run: Woliczko, Hunter and Ze'ni Patterson with interior buckets leads 6-0 run. Curious timeout by Mitty, which is on the run. Leads 39-34 with 1:50 left in 3Q.

Smith over Woliczko: Great spin move by Smith and old fashion 3-point play cuts lead to 39-37. Griffin follows with tough bucket. Tied at 39-39. 46.9 seconds lef in quarter.

End of 3: Ontario Christian hanging around and keeps coming back. Tied at 39-39 heading into fourtth.

Smith for 3: Despite exhaustion, Smith drills three to put OC up 44-41. Griffin with bucket. OC taking control, up 46-41. 5:15 4Q. Mitty calls timeout. Can this slip away for Mitty again.

Mitty 4 straight: Rebound bucket by Hunter and Woliczko with tough bucket, Mitty closes to 48-45. 3:45 4Q.

Great action: Mitty up to 17 turnovers. great action know. Smith for spinning layup, Woliczko with post up. Great action: Ontario Christian 52, Mitty 49. 1:16 4Q. 8 on shot clock. OC with ball.

Gritty: Ontario Christian is going to do it. Leads 54-49 with ball. 18.8 seconds left. Without Chloe Jenkins. Remarkable. Timeout OC. Unless unforseen breakdown with best ball handler in the country, Kaleena Smith.

FINAL: Ontario Christian 56, Mitty 49.

Quick stats: Kaleena Smith goes for 24 points, Archer 14 and Griffin with 12. Woliczko had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Mitty. Much more later.