'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAb/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACA//aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAh50Ff//EAB8QAAIBBAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIDAQAEBREGEjRBlf/aAAgBAQABPwDD4rLhgmruQgrl6226SG+b2lshEgzfrVTxPmm/Ib9E6//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAEv/aAAgBAgEBPwDSX//EABURAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEA/9oACAEDAQE/ABv/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On Saturday, two of the best non-graduating players in the country faced off during the CIF Southern Section Girls' Open Division playoffs as No. 1 sophomore Kaleena Smith took on No. 3 junior Jerzy Robinson. Smith's Ontario Christian beat Sierra Canyon in convincing fashion 62-52 on Saturday to book a ticket to the Open Division final against Etiwanda.
Trending
Both rising hoops stars had monster performances. Kaleena Smith had 21 points and 10 assists in the win, while Jerzy Robinson had the more impressive individual performance with 24 points and 15 rebounds.
It was a highly physical game, with Ontario Christian stifling the Trailblazers with tight defense, and the faceoff between two of the best high school hoopers got fans talking,
"THIS LIKE, DARIUS GARLAND VS PAOLO BANCHERO," one fan wrote.
"Sierra Canyon beat themselves because I didn’t see anything OC displayed that makes them the #1 team in the country. They’ve only been good THIS year. So how all of a sudden are they #1 in the country? 🤔" one fan asked.
"Which ever player decides to make Defense a Priority will be on Another level." another commenter pointed out.
Meanwhile, others praised either Kaleena Smith or Jerzy Robinson.
"Kaleena is the best female in highschool," one person wrote.
"👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 they’re both tuff 💪🏽," another fan added.
"@special.kayyy11 is up next. This young sister is ready 💯," another fan added.
Kaleena Smith talks about the win and containing Jerzy Robinson
Kaleena Smith's Ontario Christian Knights locked down Jerzy Robinson in a highly physical game, forcing her to make many of her shots from the free-throw line.
“That was a hustle play that fits the mentality I had all game, refusing to lose,” Smith told the LA Times. “If I have to sacrifice my body I will ... just do whatever it takes to win.”
She also talked about Jerzy Robinson and what it took to contain the player many have dubbed the "female Paolo Banchero."
“She’s really strong, and we tried to stop her the best we could,” Smith said. “I think we did a good job containing her.”
Ontario Christian will move on to the final game against five-star Grace Knox (an LSU signee) and Etiwanda at the Toyota Center on Saturday.
