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    Special era for Sage Hill girls basketball ends with loss to Ontario Christian
    • March 11, 2026

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    • Ontario Christian’s Skylah Archer, (#24), competes for a rebound with...

      Ontario Christian’s Skylah Archer, (#24), competes for a rebound with Sage Hill’s Eve Fowler, (#42), in the CIF State Open Division girls basketball regional championship game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. The Knights defeated the Lighting 73-51, to advance to the CIF Open Division State Championship game against Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) on Saturday. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)

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    Ontario Christian’s Skylah Archer, (#24), competes for a rebound with Sage Hill’s Eve Fowler, (#42), in the CIF State Open Division girls basketball regional championship game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. The Knights defeated the Lighting 73-51, to advance to the CIF Open Division State Championship game against Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) on Saturday. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Contributing Photographer)

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    ONTARIO — Sage Hill’s connection with Ontario Christian in girls basketball traces to the spring of 2021 and the first season of the Lightning’s Mambas Era.

    With four of Kobe Bryant’s former youth players on its squad, Sage Hill defeated Ontario Christian for its first CIF-SS championship as sports emerged from the pandemic and a grieving community stepped toward healing.

    Bryant’s youngest protege wasn’t on the court that June evening but Amalia Holguin led Sage Hill into another showdown against Ontario Christian on Tuesday with the Mambas Era hanging in the balance.

    A first-quarter blitz by host Ontario Christian quickly dashed the Lightning’s hopes and the No. 2 seeded Knights defeated No. 4 Sage Hill 73-51 for the Open Division title in the CIF Southern California Regional.

    On Saturday night in Sacramento, Ontario Christian will face Archbishop Mitty of San Jose at Golden 1 Center for the state title.

    Sage Hill (28-6) trailed 34-4 after the first period as the full-court press by Ontario Christian (33-2) forced eight turnovers and fueled its up-tempo attack. The Knights made 11 of 16 shots from the floor in the period, 8 of 9 free throws and didn’t commit a turnover.

    Holguin scored 17 of her game-high 25 points in the second half to help the Lightning dig into a 54-18 deficit at halftime. The Texas signee shared smiles with her teammates before exiting the court for the final time and embracing her parents.

    “I wasn’t planning on crying because it’s just a lot to be proud of,” said Holguin, who led the Lightning to their first Open Division final. “We did some some historical things that Sage Hill has never seen a girls basketball team do.”

    “I’m just proud of this team and I was glad to be part of something so special,” she added.

    Sage Hill center Eve Fowler continued her strong play by scoring 10 of her 14 points in the second half. The sophomore had 11 rebounds and two blocks. Addison Uphoff scored six of her eight points in the second half. Holguin added five steals and six rebounds.

    Sage Hill opened the third quarter with a 10-0 run. Ontario Christian’s Kaleena Smith calmed her team with a 3-pointer late in the frame en route to a team-high 20 points. But Knights coach Ontario Christian coach Aundre Cummings called an early timeout with Holguin in mind.

    “She scared us a little bit,” he said. “Special kid. She’s the Kobe Bryant of high school women’s basketball. Never stops going. Never gives up.”

    Sage Hill’s program was deeply affected by the helicopter crash that killed Bryant and eight others on Jan. 26, 2020. Freshmen Kat Righeimer, Zoie Lamkin, Emily Eadie and Annabelle Spotts were members of the Mambas travel team that Bryant was on his way to coach when he died.

    Holguin joined Sage Hill for 2022-23. This season, she was Bryant’s last protege left in high school.

    “It’s bigger than basketball,” she said. “We played for them (the victims) and I hope people saw that.”

    Sage Hill and Ontario Christian dueled in the CIF-SS Open Division semifinals on Feb. 24. The Knights won 86-54 but the Lightning bounced back to upset top-seeded Sierra Canyon 57-54 in the regional semifinals.

    “We were resilient,” Sage Hill senior Alyssa Cuff said. “We were able to do something that we weren’t supposed to do.”

    ​ Orange County Register 

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