Open Division rematches highlight CIF State regional basketball championship games – San Bernardino Sun

Here we go again.

Rematches are quite common in the CIF State basketball playoffs, so it should come as no surprise that both of Tuesday night’s Open Division regional championship games feature the same teams that played for CIF Southern Section Open Division titles.

The Etiwanda girls basketball team is looking to win an unprecedented third consecutive CIF State Open Division championship. Standing in the way of potential history is Ontario Christian, which already has posted a pair of wins over the Eagles this season.

Ontario Christian (30-1) is the No. 1 team in Maxpreps.com’s national rankings and will host the latest showdown between these Inland powerhouses. The Knights beat Etiwanda 74-66 early in the season and again 65-63 in the section championship game.

Both teams had to withstand stiff challenges to reach the regional finals.

Ontario Christian rallied late to force overtime and then dominated the overtime period to post a 69-57 victory over Sierra Canyon on Saturday. Kaleena Smith tallied 29 points and 10 assists. Tati Griffin and Alannah Neale added 19 and 18 points, respectively.

Etiwanda (26-5, No. 7 in Maxpreps.com’s national rankings) held on for a 67-57 victory over Mater Dei in the regional semifinals. McDonald’s All-American Aliyahna “Puff Morris” scored a game-high 32 points to lead the way for the Eagles Saturday evening.

This is the fifth straight year that the Open Division regional final is a rematch of the Southern Section Open Division title game. The team that won the section championship has only won the regional rematch once (Etiwanda over Sierra Canyon last year).

The Open Division boys regional final is a rematch, as well, as Roosevelt (33-2) plays host to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (28-7). Roosevelt, ranked No. 5 in the nation by MaxPreps.com, beat Notre Dame 74-67 in the Southern Section’s Open Division final.

Roosevelt knocked off two-time defending Open Division state champion Harvard-Westlake 71-59 to advance to the region final. McDonald’s All-American Brayden Burries tallied a game-high 29 points and eight rebounds, and Myles Walker added 20 points.

Notre Dame knocked off Santa Maria St. Joseph in the other regional semifinals game Saturday night. NaVorro Bowman scored a team-high 23 points, and Tyran Stokes, the No. 1-rated player in the 2026 class, had 12 points and 17 rebounds for the Knights.

Two Inland teams also will be looking to punch their tickets to Sacramento in the Division V regional finals.

The Hillcrest girls basketball team has rattled off 16 straight wins and recently won the program’s first CIF Southern Section title. The No. 3-seeded Trojans (24-6) host No. 4-seeded Rosamond (28-7) in Tuesday’s regional final.

Hillcrest advanced with victories at home over Marshall (54-30), San Diego Crawford (56-54 in overtime) and Santa Ana (48-33). The Trojans are led by the junior quartet of Zoey Boulware, Raylene Valadez, Za’Nylah Jackson and Amaya Branchcomb.

Rosamond was the CIF Central Section’s Division 5 champion.

The Diamond Ranch boys avenged its section finals loss to Kaiser, then beat top-seeded Hacienda Heights Wilson to reach the regional final. The No. 5-seeded Panthers (22-14) host No. 7-seeded Math & Science College Prep of L.A. (25-7) on Tuesday.

Jaiden Pullian had 12 points and 13 rebounds in the win over Wilson. Devin Turner and Presley Mondragon scored 14 apiece.

Math & Science College Prep was the City Section’s Division 3 champion.