Wearing shiny lime Kobe Grinches that made it easy for fans at Honda Center to identify the best girls’ basketball player in America, Juju Watkins of Chatsworth Sierra Canyon wasn’t interested in individual attention on Saturday night.
Watkins has won gold medals and most-valuable-player awards representing Team USA in Hungary and Mexico. She’s won a state title. She even was in a Nike commercial with LeBron James. And yet, the one achievement missing from her resume has been an Open Division title.
“This is the best. This is doing it with your team,” Watkins said after scoring 24 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and contributing six blocks as Sierra Canyon defeated Etiwanda 70-57 to improve to 30-0 and win the Southern Section Open Division title.
“The win means everything,” Watkins said.
Juju Watkins of Sierra Canyon celebrates Open Division championship with Izela Arenas.
(Craig Weston)
It wasn’t Watkins’ best game. She made just four of 16 shots. She also converted 16 of 18 free throws to keep Eitwanda (29-3) playing catch-up.
It was a physical game, with players from both teams hitting the floor often and fouls being called. At one point, the two teams combined to make 31 consecutive free throws. Sierra Canyon made 29 of its 32 free throws. Etiwanda made 15 of 17.
“That shows the mental toughness,” Etiwanda coach Stan Delus said.
One reason Sierra Canyon is unbeaten and perhaps the No. 1 team in America is that the Trailblazers don’t just rely on Watkins.
Izela Arenas, the daughter of former NBA gaurd Gilbert Arenas, scored 19 points and contributed early points when Watkins was scoreless for the first six minutes of the game.
Mackenly Randolph, the daughter of former NBA forward Zach Randolph, scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds.
Randolph and Arenas each made huge threes in the fourth quarter when Etiwanda was making a comeback and cutting a 17-point deficit to seven. The dads were cheering from courtside seats.
“It was physical,” Randolph said. “They played hard and we played hard. Free throws matter. Free throws win games.”
The championship was particularly rewarding to Sierra Canyon coach Alicia Komaki, who was 0-2 in Open Division finals. She had spent all season preparing her team for Etiwanda after losing to the Eagles in last year’s Open Division final when Watkins fouled out. Sierra Canyon scheduled tough games on the road and was ready for Etiwanda’s physicality.
“We’re a very different team than a year ago,” Komaki said.
Sierra Canyon decided to sit its 5-foot-4 starting point guard and insert 6-4 freshman Emilia Krstevski to cause Etiwanda problems. Sierra Canyon outrebounded the Eagles 30-28. Majesty Cade and Aliyahna Morris each finished with 13 points for Etiwanda.
“I thought our girls played hard for 32 minutes,” Delus said. “We let them get out in transitions too many possessions. I thought we fought. We didn’t capitalize on our layups. Their length bothered us.”
As for dealing with the USC-bound Watkins, Delus said, “It’s so difficult. We tried to force her to one side and take away the driving lanes. She has very good movement off the dribble. She doesn’t rush until it’s time to attack. We tried to take as many charges as we could. She’s such a difficult guard.”
Sierra Canyon and Etiwanda could meet again when the Southern California Regional Open Division playoffs begin this coming week, with the regional champion advancing to the state championship on March 11 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Pairings come out Sunday afternoon.
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