State and national No. 1 team continues momentum after last week’s 102-54 win over Mater Dei with equally impressive 105-83 triumph over Sierra Canyon in CIF Southern Section Open Division championship at The Honda Center.
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After last weekend’s CIF Southern Section Open Division semifinals, much was made of the possibility that state and national No. 1 boys basketball team Chino Hills probably was in for a tough night against Sierra Canyon of Chatsworth in Saturday’s final at The Honda Center.
The Trailblazers, after all, had recorded a win over Bishop Montgomery in their semifinal game that maybe wasn’t quite like the Huskies’ blowing out perennial power Mater Dei 102-54, but it was by a slightly larger margin (78-69) that when Chino Hills beat Bishop Montgomery (71-64) back on Jan. 30.
Elizjah Scott throws one down for Chino Hills in 105-point night vs. Sierra Canyon. Photo: Mark Bausman/OCSidelines.com.
It only took about three minutes on Saturday, however, for any thoughts to diminish that Sierra Canyon would derail the Huskies’ express. With another barrage of Golden State Warrior-style three-point shooting and point guard Lonzo Ball directing the show, the Huskies blew past the Trailblazers 105-83.
Before an estimated crowd of 12,000, Chino Hills (31-0) won its first CIFSS Open Division title and locked itself in as the top seed for the CIF SoCal Open Division (which will be announced Sunday).
Last year’s team didn’t qualify for the Open Division and the squad didn’t win the CIF D1 crown, either, falling to San Ramon Valley (Danville) 78-71 in an upset that is still gaining in historical significance.
Lonzo Ball’s stat-stuffing continued with 20 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists and four blocked shots. LiAngelo Ball connected for 31 points while LaMelo Ball, the freshman, hit for 26.
The team’s 103 points also surpassed the 102-point total by Canyon of Anaheim from last year in the CIFSS Division I-A final as the most scored in a CIFSS title game.
For 100-point games in a season, Chino Hills also has now moved to just one behind the Cal-Hi Sports state record of 17 set in 1996 by Balboa of San Francisco.
Sierra Canyon (26-4), which fell behind 9-0 and then by 18 points later in the fourth quarter, received a strong outing from junior guard Remy Martin. He tossed in 31 points.
