Look: Kaleena Smith, Ontario Christian make statement in wins at H.O.P.E. Showcase

Ontario Christian defeated two NorCal heavyweights by double-digits at the H.O.P.E. Showcase

CYPRESS, Calif. - The rise of Ontario Christian girls basketball over the past four years was certainly abrupt.

One year, the program was ranked outside the top 400 in the state, unheard of among the state's upper ranks despite having some recent winning seasons. The next, new head coach Matt Tumambing and 4-star Class of 2023 juggernaut Chloe Briggs spearheaded an amazingly steep ascension to national relevancy. 

Last season, Ontario Christian earned the fifth seed in the Open Division while Briggs became the all-time leading scorer in CIF Southern Section history.

Now, Ontario Christian has graduated not only Briggs (University of Washington) but two more six-foot standouts as well, starting forwards Julia Lavigne and Brooklyn Goedhart.

That all goes to say: if anyone thought that Ontario Christian was about to quickly fade with those stars gone, at least they'd have an excuse. 

But they'd be woefully mistaken.

While the Knights' roster is almost entirely new, they showed at the H.O.P.E. Showcase that they aren't going anywhere – not this year, nor next year, nor the two years after that.

One of the main reasons why? Long considered one of the premier girls basketball players in the Class of 2027, Kaleena Smith has now hit the high school ranks. And the high-scoring point guard is ready to pick up where Briggs left off – carrying the torch for Ontario Christian. It won't be long before she's a full-blown household name as a Lady Knight.

Between Smith, senior shooting guard Dejah Saldivar – who's one of the best shooters in CIF history – senior transfers Amanda Ajobiewe (six points) and Karsen Marshall (10 points), and a projected leap from returners such as Savannah Philan (10 points), Ontario Christian may once again have one of the stronger cores in the Southern Section.

On Saturday, Smith dropped 27 points as they won 53-41 over Fastbreak, a club team comprised of players from Acalanes, which is one of the best high school teams in NorCal. 

Ontario Christian followed that up on Sunday with another decisive victory against a NorCal heavyweight, 60-43 over San Joaquin Memorial.

Here are all the highlights from the Knights' victory over Fastbreak/Acalanes. A separate post with Acalanes' highlight video from the game is coming soon.

Photo by Lance Smith

Photo by Lance Smith

– Lance Smith | lance@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveca