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Previews for Orange County’s SoCal regional girls basketball finals Tuesday

March 9, 2026

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CIF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GIRLS BASKETBALL REGIONAL FINALS

All games at 7 p.m.

Streaming note: The NFHS Network schedule being is being finalized, the CIF State office stated. The schedule is expected to be released Tuesday.

TUESDAY’S GAMES

OPEN DIVISION

Sage Hill (28-5) at Ontario Christian (32-2)

Outlook: The Lightning wanted another chance to play the Knights and earned it by upsetting top-seeded Sierra Canyon 57-54 in the semifinals on Saturday. Amalia Holguin scored 26 points and Addison Uphoff and Eve Fowler added 15 points and 11 points, respectively, as Sage Hill rallied from an eight-point deficit at halftime.

With the victory, Sage Hill set the school’s single-season record for wins (28) and reached its first Open Division regional final.

The Lightning lost at Ontario Christian 86-54 in the CIF-SS Open Division semifinals on Feb. 24. The score was close after the first quarter but the host Knights dominated the rest of the way for a second consecutive win by over 30 points against Sage Hill.

“I want to run it back,” interim Sage Hill coach Jethro Julian said afterward.

Sage Hill struggled with turnovers, shot 31 the floor and was outrebounded 41-25.

While Kaleena Smith led the Knights with 33 points (12 of 19 shooting), the junior received plenty of support. Three other players scored double figures for Ontario Christian.

Since the start of the spring season of 2021, Sage Hill leads its series against Ontario Christian 5-3. The Knights have won three straight.

DIVISION III

Leuzinger (23-14) at El Dorado (22-14)

Outlook: The No. 2 seeded Golden Hawks play host to No. 5 Leuzinger as both teams seek their first trip to the state finals. In 2015, El Dorado lost to Brea Olinda 50-46 in the Division III regional championship at Colony High.

Under fourth-year coach Matthew Raya, El Dorado has united behind seniors Delaney Shiring, Kennedy Wood and Riley Morikawa. The Golden Hawks’ roster features several freshmen, including starter Alaina Zamora. “It took us a while to finally come together,” Raya said.

Shiring, who is committed Pomona-Pitzer, scored 23 points and made a victory-clinching block in a 44-39 triumph against Canyon in the semifinals Saturday. Wood, a point guard, added 14 points.

El Dorado, the CIF-SS Division 4 champion, will need to shake off its offensive struggles from the fourth quarter against Canyon. The Golden Hawks went 0 for 7 from the floor and had four turnovers in being outscored 17-4.

Leuzinger beat King/Drew 66-54 in the semifinals Saturday. El Dorado lost to King-Drew 54-37 earlier in late November.

Leuzinger, which lost to St. Margaret’s in the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinals, is led by junior Tatyana Aubry. The guard averages about 24 points.

DIVISION IV

Palisades (15-13) at Godinez (19-12)

Outlook: The No. 2 seeded Grizzlies have reached their first regional final by winning the past two games by a combined five points.

Godinez coach AJ Alaman features a well-balanced squad that plays solid defense. Senior Valerie Esteban (10 ppg) is the only player who averages in double figures. Senior Valeria Arcos has stepped up her scoring in the regional by averaging 12.7 points.

The Grizzlies have held their three opponents in the regional to an average of 40 points.

Godinez challenged itself with nonleague games against Orange Lutheran and St. Margaret’s among others.

No. 5 Palisades, an Open Division qualifier from the LA City Section, beat Marina 61-49 in the semifinals. In the first round, the Dolphins rallied to defeat Kennedy 61-59 behind 26 points from senior guard Elly Tierney.

Palisades plays an up-tempo style featuring 3-point shooting.

DIVISION V

Schurr (19-14) at Laguna Hills (20-11)

Outlook: The fourth-seeded Hawks rallied past No. 1 Rosamond 37-31 in the semifinals to reach their first regional final since finishing as the Division III runner-up in state in 2012.

Sisters Cameron and Keira McDermott combined for 32 points in the upset for Hawks, who trailed 11-3 in the first quarter.

Cameron McDermott, a guard, scored on a drive with 6:14 left in the fourth to spark a 10-4 run to close regulation.

Laguna Hills finish as the CIF-SS Division 7 runner-up to league rival Kennedy.

The Hawks narrowly qualified for the playoffs. Led by veteran coach Jim Martin, they defeated Tustin in a playoff for third place in the Golden West League.

Laguna Hills has leaned on several experienced players. The team starts seniors Cameron McDermott, Lena Goodman, Amanda Yuson and Meghan Rehmeier along with sophomore Keira McDermott.

Sixth-seeded Schurr defeated Orange 44-32 in the Division 8 final. The Spartans have won 11 consecutive games since losing to Mark Keppel in the Almont League.

Schurr is led by sophomore point guard Valerie Sepulveda.

Orange County Register

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Previews for Orange County’s SoCal regional girls basketball finals Tuesday

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