Etiwanda girls basketball grabs one more title to end year with So Cal Holiday Prep Classic WNBA Premier Gold Division crown

SAN DIEGO – Winning championships was the norm for the Etiwanda High girls basketball team last season, whether it came in elite national tournaments or securing league, section and state titles, the latter of which culminated with back-to-back California Open Division crowns in March.

The Eagles’ last chance to capture another title before the end of the year came Monday in the final of the WNBA Premier Gold Division at the So Cal Holiday Prep Classic and Etiwanda made certain that after a pair of losses in tournament finals earlier this season, it wasn’t going to suffer the same outcome against Sidwell Friends from Washington D.C.

Post-game interviews

Grace Knox had a game-high 25 points and added 11 rebounds, with tournament MVP Aliyahna “Puff” Morris adding 18 points, six assists and five rebounds to lift Etiwanda to a 69-56 victory against the previously unbeaten Quakers at Canyon Hills High.

Knox, an LSU signee, and fellow senior Shaena Brew – 10 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds – both earned all-tournament honors for Etiwanda (8-4), which also produced a 71-56 victory against Sidwell Friends (10-1) in January at the Army National Guard Hoophall Classic presented by Spalding in Springfield, Mass.

Shaena Brew, left, with Grace Knox and Aliyahna “Puff” Morris of Etiwanda | Erik Boal photo

The Eagles suffered a 74-66 loss Nov. 23 to Ontario Christian in the final of the Harvard-Westlake tournament, then endured an 88-79 setback Dec. 14 to Long Island Lutheran from New York in the championship game of the 40th Iolani Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.

But Etiwanda overcame an early 10-7 deficit by scoring eight consecutive points in the opening quarter and never trailed again, preventing Sidwell Friends from becoming the first team from outside California to win the title in the highest division in the tournament’s 21-year history.

Jayla Jackson had 22 points and 10 rebounds, with fellow junior Autumn Fleary contributing 19 points to both receive all-tournament recognition for Sidwell Friends, which trailed by a 35-26 margin at halftime.

The Eagles continued to showcase a balanced attack in the second half, stretching the lead to 49-36 following three quarters and building a 17-point advantage on a layup by Brew with 4:25 remaining.

Sidwell Friends twice cut the deficit to 10 points in the final three minutes, but never got any closer.

Arynn Finley added eight points, with Aliyah Phillips and Chasity Rice scoring four points apiece for Etiwanda, which made eight 3-point field goals in comparison to six for Sidwell Friends.

After splitting the first eight games of the season, Etiwanda won four in a row to capture the championship in the top division at the So Cal Holiday Prep Classic for the first time in program history.

Morris finished with 81 points in the tournament, including 29 in an 83-41 semifinal victory Saturday against Beckman.

Knox contributed 57 points in four contests in San Diego, with Brew scoring 30 points during the tournament, in addition to providing significant contributions at both ends of the floor, holding Sidwell Friends junior forward Genesis Schneeberg without a field goal and limiting her to one point in the final.

Etiwanda is scheduled to face host Carondelet (11-2) on Jan. 3 in the fourth annual Sabrina Ionescu SI20 Showcase.

Mission Hills 38, Beckman 27: The Grizzlies (7-4) held Beckman scoreless during the third quarter, producing 14 unanswered points Monday to prevail in the third-place game of the WNBA Premier Gold Division at Canyon Hills High.

Bay Cordova, an all-tournament selection, led Mission Hills with 10 points, all in the first three quarters.

Cordova, a sophomore, finished with 57 points in three tournament contests for the Grizzlies, who rebounded from a 60-48 semifinal setback Saturday against Sidwell Friends from Washington D.C.

Lyndsey Rogers, a junior, also received all-tournament recognition for Mission Hills, contributing to an impressive defensive effort that held Beckman (10-6) without a field goal for more than 11 minutes in the second half.

The Patriots cut the deficit to 19-17 at halftime, but a pair of 3-point field goals by Taylor Tam – who had a team-high 10 points – bookended 13 consecutive misses by Beckman, in addition to six turnovers during the challenging stretch.

Alexia Gallegos and Natasha Jafari both scored four points apiece to earn all-tournament honors for Beckman, which made 10 free throws versus only seven field goals, including just three baskets in the second half.

Kalea Bacho contributed eight points, Izzy Medina added six points and Kendall Nguyen scored four points for Mission Hills, which benefited from seven 3-point field goals.

The greatest reward for the Grizzlies could be gained when the San Diego Section Open Division playoffs arrive in February, since Beckman opened the tournament Thursday with a 60-52 victory against La Jolla Country Day.

Mission Hills, which also produced a 65-61 nonleague win Dec. 13 against Francis Parker, created a potential inside track to secure the top seed in the postseason based on common opponents with La Jolla Country Day.

La Jolla Country Day 66, Anaheim Canyon 20: The Torreys (10-5) rebounded from an opening-round setback Thursday against Beckman to win their final three WNBA Premier Gold Division contests, capturing the consolation title Monday at El Capitan High.

Mei-Ling Perry, an all-tournament selection and Princeton-bound junior, had 17 points for La Jolla Country Day, which secured a 73-46 triumph Friday against Palos Verdes and produced a 70-22 win Saturday against Mater Dei Catholic from Chula Vista.

Mei-Ling Perry of La Jolla Country Day | Dylan Curtis photo

Erin Sicari added 11 points, Aoki Perry contributed 10 points, Safiyah Sugapong scored nine points and Kennedy Walton had eight points for La Jolla Country Day, which played with a running clock in the fourth quarter for the second consecutive contest.

Piedmont 51, Oak Ridge 45: Freshman Jenelle Solis earned all-tournament honors for the Highlanders (9-1), who secured victory in the WNBA Premier Gold Division fifth-place game at Canyon Hills High.

Ava Edwards, a senior, received all-tournament recognition for Oak Ridge (8-6).

Piedmont rebounded from a 68-55 quarterfinal loss Friday to Mission Hills to prevail in its final two tournament contests, including a 74-50 triumph Saturday against California High from Whittier.