HEMINGWAY IS 4-FOR-4

Etiwanda standout will make fourth consecutive title-game appearance Saturday

It’s not an easy thing to accomplish, but Etiwanda senior Sa’lah Hemingway will be playing in her fourth consecutive CIF Southern Section girls basketball championship game Saturday.

“I wanted to keep doing this. People would say it’s not realistic to go to the championship backto-back-to-back-to-back. I wanted to be different,” Hemingway said.

Second-seeded Etiwanda (29-2) will play top-seeded Sierra Canyon (29-0) Saturday at 6 p.m. at Honda Center for the CIF-SS Open Division title. Etiwanda is ranked eighth in the country by ESPN while Sierra Canyon is ranked No. 1.

Etiwanda defeated Sierra Canyon in the CIF-SS finals last year.

Etiwanda coach Stan Delus knows Hemingway’s play will be critical against Sierra Canyon.

“I’m going to ask her to be the steady player that we know her to be on both ends of the floor,” Delus

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said. “Play her role and do her assignments to the best of her ability. She just needs to give a little more than she has in the last two years. She’s going to do her job.”

Although she also played softball and soccer as a youth, Hemingway played volleyball at Grand Terrace in the fall of her freshman year, but transferred to Eisenhower before basketball season.

Her freshman year, Eisenhower was the CIFSS Division 3A runner-up as Hemingway was ALL-CIF after averaging 15.1 points and 10.9 rebounds. The next year, Eisenhower won the 2A title, and Hemingway was ALL-CIF again, averaging 18.4 points and 12.4 rebounds

“At the start of my sophomore year, I was sure I was going to stay there for four years,” Hemingway said. “That summer changed my perspective. I needed to get more exposure if I wanted to play in college and that’s why I chose to come to Etiwanda.”

Delus didn’t know Hemingway prior to her transferring to Etiwanda before the 2021-22 school year. And she knew only one player on the team, Majesty Cade, through travel ball. Yet she fit into her new program immediately.

“First day of school, the moment we saw each other in the gym, we all got close,” Hemingway said.

“She came in with a positive mentality, an aggressive mentality, a confident mentality. She right away knew she could compete at our level with our players,” Delus said.

But there were adjustments. In particular, Hemingway wasn’t starting and the games were at a much faster pace. But she was still seeing a lot of playing time and eventually started some games as Etiwanda won the Open Division title last February.

This year the Eagles are back in the championship game as the 6-foot-1 guard/ forward averages 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

She earned scholarship offers from schools such as Seattle University, Weber

State, San Jose State, Fresno State and UC Riverside. But she eventually chose Howard University in Washington D.C.

“On my visit and over the phone I felt a connection with my coaches, and going there and seeing all the different clubs that they have and how everybody is close, I wanted to be a part of that,” she said. “It’s an HBCU (historically black college or university) so I wanted to be around my people. I want to be around people who are helping their community.”

She lives with her mother Moon Hemingway, who played basketball at Pacific High and Cal State Dominguez Hills. Her mother works at their church, Cathedral of Grace in San Bernardino, and Sa’lah is involved in helping the community with food drives.

As for the future, she wants to major in biology and become a veterinarian.

“I would hope people would say I’m a good person,” Hemingway said. “I hope people don’t just see me as a basketball player. I know I’m more than that.”

– Eric-paul Johnson

ANJALI PAUL — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Sa’lah Hemingway of Etiwanda on Saturday will be playing in her fourth consecutive CIF-SS championship game. Etiwanda and Sierra Canyon will square off for the Open Division crown for the second consecutive season. Last year, Etiwanda erased a 14-point deficit in the third quarter and pulled away for a 69-57victory. The Eagles closed the game with a 19-4run after Sierra Canyon star Juju Watkins fouled out with 3:28remaining. Sierra Canyon avenged that loss two weeks later with a 60-51victory in the CIF State Open Division state game. These two teams have been on another collision course all season long. Sierra Canyon is the No. 1team in the majority of national rankings. Etiwanda is No. 9in Maxpreps.com’s national rankings. Etiwanda advanced to the final with a 71-58victory over Mater Dei. Junior Kennedy Smith led the way with 26points, and sophomore Aliyahna Morris scored 20points. Sierra Canyon is led by Watkins, a Usc-bound, Mcdonald’s All-american and a favorite to be the Gatorade National Player of the Year. Etiwanda is seeking a second section title in four appearances, while Sierra Canyon is going for its third in six tries. DIVISION 3AA LOS OSOS (24-4) VS. FLINTRIDGE PREP (28-2) AT COLONY HS, 8P.M. IE Varsity info: Los Osos has reached the section finals for the fourth time and will be looking to win the program’s first section title since 2017. The Grizzlies are the No. 1seed in the bracket and advanced to the championship game with a 61-52victory over Moreno Valley. Los Osos has a balanced scoring attack, led by freshman Jackie Polk (13.9 PPG), sophomore Destinee Knight (11PPG) and senior Hailey Estrada (10.6PPG). Flintridge Prep also is making its fourth appearance in a section final and seeks the program’s first title since 2016. The Wolves are the No. 2seed and reached the finals with a 68-53victory over El Dorado. Senior point guard Ashley Chea scored a team-high 24points in the semifinal win. DIVISION 3A RANCHO CHRISTIAN (24-6) VS. CHINO (24-5) AT COLONY HS, 2P.M. IE Varsity info: Rancho Christian is making its second trip to the section finals and will be looking to win the program’s first championship. The Eagles are the No. 1seed and have won their three playoff games by an average of 37.3points. Rancho Christian has an explosive offense (79.3PPG), led by senior guard Aailyah Stanton, who ranks fifth in the state with a 30.8scoring average. Senior center Jada Tiggett has be an impact player in recent weeks, averaging 10.2 points, 7.7rebounds and 3.5blocks since she was cleared to play after her transfer from Paloma Valley. Chino finished the regular season No. 14in the Division 3A rankings, but the Cowgirls have reached the finals for the first time since 1991. The program won section titles in 1981, 1986and 1988under legendary coach Joe Murillo. Chino has won 19 straight games, including a 55-53win over Campbell Hall in the semifinals. Lyndsey Valverde leads the team in scoring at 14.8points per game, and Malani Johnson is averaging 10.5 points and a team-high nine rebounds and 4.8blocks per game. DIVISION 4AA RIALTO (27-2) VS. BUENA PARK (24-6) AT EDISON HS, 2P.M. IE Varsity info: Rialto is looking to claim its second section championship in as many tries. The program won the Division 2AA crown in 2011. The No. 2-seeded Knights routed Silverado 70-43to advance to the championship game. Sophomore point guard Carrington Davis leads the team in scoring at 24.1points per game, and senior center Khamiyah Anderson is averaging 17.5points and 15.7rebounds per game. Freshman Destiny Rabino is a sharp-shooting guard who drained six 3-pointers in the quarterfinals. Buena Park is the No. 1seed and is making its first trip to the section finals. The Coyotes rallied for a 59-55victory over Shalhevet in the semifinals. Buena Park is led by a trio of freshmen: Ashley White (16.4PPG, 13RPG), Sydnie Lendsey-vann (15.1 PPG) and Bella Harmon (14.4PPG).