Video: Sierra Canyon vs. Etiwanda highlightsThe Blazers overcame a 13-point fourth quarter deficit to advance to the CIF Open Division state championship.
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) rallied from an 11-point deficit the final three minutes of Tuesday's California Open Divison southern regional final against
Etiwanda, emerging with a miraculous 63-61 win.
Senior
Ziaire Williams sank the game-winner as time expired to send the Trailblazers (30-4) to their third consecutive state championship game and keep hopes of a three-peat alive. The 6-foot-8 forward finished with 19 points.
Sierra Canyon, ranked No. 15 nationally this week by MaxPreps, trailed 61-50 with less than three minutes to go before tearing off the game's final 13 points.
Sierra Canyon's Ziaire Williams takes the game-winning shot to stun Etiwanda at the buzzer on Tuesday night.
Photo by Louis Lopez
Though Williams was the hero, Kentucky-bound senior
Brandon Boston Jr. also came up huge for the Trailblazers down the stretch. In addition to a game high 26 points, he scored seven in a row during the team's late run – including a 3-pointer that tied the game at 61.
The contest was played on the campus of California State University-Northridge in Los Angeles.
Sierra Canyon also beat Etiwanda (30-4) in the first meeting this season between the two teams less than three weeks ago, earning a 73-62 victory during Southern Section Open Division pool play. The Trailblazers have won 10 games in a row in CIF Open Division action, regarded as one of the toughest postseason brackets nationally.
The Trailblazers advance to face the winner of the northern regional final between
Sheldon (Sacramento) and
Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland), which is scheduled for Thursday. The state championship will be played Saturday at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
Ziaire Williams proudly displays the CIF Southern Regional championship plaque.
Photo by Louis Lopez
Jaylen Clark lays dejected on the court following the stunning defeat.
Photo by Louis Lopez
Brandon Boston Jr. soars in for a dunk.
Photo by Louis Lopez
