Day 3: Ontario Christian, Archbishop Mitty set up all-California Nike TOC championship showdown

Ontario Christian subdues Bullis, 73-65, while defending champions handle Mater Dei, 59-42, in semifinals Friday night

Sophomore guard Kaleena Smith (11) has led Ontario Christian into the Nike Tournament of Championship finals in Arizona. / Nicole Mullen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

It was the matchup many whispered about possibly happening before the Nike Tournament of Champions started Wednesday.

And now it is officially set - an all-California tidal wave for the tournament championship.

Third-ranked Ontario Christian utilized pace, and sophomore Kaleena Smith's game-high 26 points to defeat Bullis, 73-65, in the nightcap semifinal Friday night at Skyline Prep High School in Phoenix, Arizona.

And sixth-ranked and defending tournament champion Archbishop Mitty used its own defensive pressure to beat No. 15 Mater Dei, 59-42, behind junior McKenna Woliczko's game-high 18 points.

The two national heavyweights meet Saturday at 7 p.m. for the title.

KNIGHTS ANSWER EVERY BULLIS CHALLENGE

One thing was for sure early Friday - however quickly Ontario Christian wanted to get out and run - and ultimately score - Bullis of Maryland kept right up.

That is, until Smith got cooking.

Held scoreless in the first quarter, the playmaking whiz scored 12 points in the second quarter - and sizzled early in both of the final two quarters to send her team to the championship game.

Sydney Douglas added 15 points as she and Smith answered after Bullis trimmed it to 42-40 early in the second half by combining for Ontario Christian's first nine points of the third quarter, eventually pushing it back to a 51-42 lead.

Even after trailing by as many as 14 points early in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs would not go away, going on a 9-0 run before Smith scored four quick points - the last coming on a drive down the left lane for an easy bucket.

MITTY GRABS EARLY LEAD, CRUISES PAST MATER DEI

Who said Woliczko had to do all the heavy lifting?

A night after the junior forward scored a career-high 38 points in leading the Archbishop Mitty past Clackamas in overtime, it was Emma Cook and Devin Cosgriff who got the defending champions out to a quick 7-0 over the first three minutes.

In fact, Woliczko didn't scored her first field goal until the final minute of the first half in giving her team a 27-18 advantage at halftime.

But in the second half, Woliczko - the 2023 tournament most valuable player - was the catalyst during Archbishop Mitty's 15-5 run to grab a 38-28 lead, and the team never led by less than a double-digit margin the rest of the way.

Woliczko tallied 15 of her 18 points in the second half, closing the show with 10 fourth-quarter points, including a corner 3-pointers and a three-point play in the final seconds to blister Mater Dei.

Amaya Williams and Kaeli Wynn led Mater Dei with 15 points apiece.

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NIKE TOC TOP DIVISION DAY 3 SCORES

Semifinals

No. 3 Ontario Christian (Calif.) 73, Bullis 65

No. 6 Archbishop Mitty 59, No. 15 Mater Dei 42

Consolation bracket

Mt. Zion 61. Valor Christian 52

Grandview 50, Purcell Marian 45

Christ the King 61, George Rogers Clark 45

Bishop MacNamara 53, Clackamas 48

Archbishop Wood 72, Brookswood Secondary 42

Princeton 60, Sage Hill 46

SATURDAY'S TOP DIVISION SCHEDULE (MST)

Championship

No. 6 Archbishop Mitty (6-0) vs. No. 3 Ontario Christian, 7 p.m.

Consolation games

Grandview vs. Bishop McNamara, 8:30 a.m.

Mount Zion vs. Christ the King, 10 a.m.

Archbishop Wood vs. Princeton, 2;30 p.m.

Purcell Marian vs. Clackamas, 4 p.m.

Bullis vs. Mater Dei, 5:30 p.m.

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