Juju Watkins leads way as Sierra Canyon rolls to Open Division girls’ state crown

Having already vanquished one of the best opponents in Southern California, the Chatsworth Sierra Canyon ladies’ basketball workforce took on the best workforce Northern California needed to provide and the Trailblazers left little question they’re one of the best within the West this season, dominating San Jose Archbishop Mitty 85-61 within the Open Division state championship recreation Saturday at Golden 1 Heart.

Not solely is Sierra Canyon one of the best workforce, 6-foot-2 junior guard Juju Watkins made it crystal clear she is one of the best participant in California, ending with 23 factors, 19 rebounds, six assists, six blocks and three steals in a efficiency her coach, Alicia Komaki, discovered arduous to place into phrases.

Watkins, the Gatorade state participant of the 12 months and one of many prime 2023 recruits within the nation, had loads of assist from her pals.

Christy Reynoso buried all 4 of her three-point makes an attempt on her method to 14 factors, Mackenly Randolph had 13 factors and 10 rebounds and Leia Edwards had 12 factors, six rebounds and three assists because the Trailblazers (30-2) captured their fifth state title in 10 years underneath Komaki — the final two within the Open Division.

“We’re a extremely gifted workforce, and Juju actually accelerated our development 1,000%,” Komaki mentioned. “However we will all hoop a bit bit!”

Together with her workforce properly forward within the remaining minute, Komaki subbed out her starters one after the other so every might obtain a well-deserved ovation from the Sierra Canyon followers who made the five-hour journey north.

“We got here out right here to win a state championship,” mentioned Watkins, who transferred to Sierra Canyon after two seasons at Los Angeles Windward. “No worry… that’s our mindset. I had this aim a very long time in the past to play for a state championship, so that is actually a dream come true.”

Whereas her counterpart may need been speechless about Watkins, Mitty coach Sue Phillips had loads of reward to heap on the Trailblazers’ multi-faceted dynamo.

“We couldn’t cease them in transition, and after we did they bought offensive rebounds. Juju is an extremely gifted participant,” mentioned Phillips, who has led the Monarchs to 6 state titles in her 29 years on the helm. “I’m a math instructor, and after the primary quarter I calculated we had been on tempo to surrender 84 factors, and I knew that isn’t good. As a lot as we tried, we couldn’t get Juju in foul bother, and what makes her so powerful is she will rating in any respect three ranges.”

Each groups bought to the state remaining by avenging losses earlier within the season. Mitty (30-2) beat Harmony Carondelet 72-63 after falling to the Cougars 61-50 in a match recreation Dec. 29, whereas Sierra Canyon beat beforehand unbeaten Etiwanda 60-51 to reverse a 69-57 defeat within the Southern Part remaining.

The Trailblazers avenged their solely different loss with a 63-62 victory over La Jolla Nation Day within the regional semifinals after having fallen to the Torreys 73-71 on a impartial court docket Jan. 8.

“We knew what our path could be as soon as we misplaced to Etiwanda, and I’m extremely pleased with this group of women,” Komaki mentioned. “We knew our future was to go to La Jolla then Etiwanda after which Sacramento. I’m pleased with how we bounced again from that loss within the part finals.”

Sierra Canyon opened a 41-27 benefit at halftime and held the lead for all however 29 seconds of the 32-minute recreation.

The Trailblazers made 10 of 20 pictures from behind the arc and had been 15 of 19 from the foul line.

Division II

Emily Eadie made a reverse layup with one minute left to provide Newport Seashore Sage Hill its first lead for the reason that first quarter and made one other to place the Lightning on prime to remain earlier than Isabel Gomez and Kat Righeimer made three of 4 free throws within the remaining seconds to clinch a dramatic 51-47 victory over Fresno San Joaquin Memorial within the state remaining.

Trailing by 13 factors, Sage Hill clawed its method again to drag even at 33-33 when Gomez banked in a three-pointer to beat the shot clock with lower than a minute left within the third quarter.

The Lightning (27-10) once more fell behind within the fourth quarter, however confirmed resilience as they’ve all through the playoffs to seize their first state title two weeks after dropping to Orange Lutheran within the Southern Part Division 2A championship recreation.

“It was an thrilling recreation to say the least … our ladies are unbelievable,” Sage Hill coach Kerwin Walters mentioned.

“After we play like that there’s not a workforce on the planet we will’t compete with. We’ve been in these sort of video games. We knew we will’t play groups that may’t push us, so we scheduled tremendous powerful groups and all these losses helped us develop.”

Sage Hill sophomore guard Annabelle Spotts appears for an open teammate throughout Saturday’s Division II state remaining in opposition to San Joaquin Memorial.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Instances)

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