To be the best you have to beat the best, and the Ontario Christian girls’ basketball team did — barely.

In a game that more than lived up to the hype, the Knights held off a furious Etiwanda comeback to unseat the defending champion and capture the Southern Section Open Division crown, 65-63, Saturday night at Toyota Arena in Ontario thanks to three late free throws by sophomore sensation Kaleena Smith.

“I practice [free throws] all the time,” said Smith, who already has multiple Division I offers and was MaxPreps’ National Freshman of the Year last winter. “It’s second nature and God was with me.”

Ontario Christian’s Kaleena Smith, left, drives past Etiwanda’s Chasity Rice during the Southern Section Open Division girls’ basketball championship game at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Saturday night.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Ontario Christian coach Aundre Cummings wanted the ball in his best player’s hands with the game on the line.

“I didn’t have any doubt she’d make them… she’s built for this,” he said. “She’s the best player in America, so in that situation you have to go to her. I’d live and die by it.”

The teams could meet again in the SoCal Regional finals, but that was the furthest thing from Cummings’ mind. He just wanted to savor the program’s first title in the Southern Section’s highest division, achieved against Etiwanda’s Stan Delus, widely regarded as one of the best coaches in girls’ basketball.

“He’s a terrific coach and a champion,” Cummings said. “He’s the toughest I’ve gone up against since I’ve been coaching. He knows how to prepare, his teams never quit and I have so much respect for him. Stan helped me immensely tonight to be a better coach.”

Ontario Christian’s Alanna Neale drives between the Etiwanda defense during the Southern Section Open Division girls’ basketball championship game on Saturday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Etiwanda controlled the tip and immediately scored a layup on its way to a 13-4 lead over the first four minutes. Ontario Christian clawed back, went ahead for the first time with 2:31 left in the second quarter and held a 29-27 lead at halftime.

Smith was held to 13 points, well below her season average of 23, but she had eight assists and scored crucial points at the end for the top-seeded Knights (29-1), who led by 11 entering the fourth quarter but learned a valuable lesson: Never underestimate a championship-caliber opponent.

“It wasn’t pretty but we earned it more than it was given to us,” Smith said.

Etiwanda’s Arynn Finley, front, chases after a loose ball against Ontario Christian in the Southern Section Open Division girls’ basketball championship game on Saturday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

The second-seeded Eagles (29-5) were making their fourth consecutive finals appearance and their grit and experience fueled a valiant charge in the final six minutes. Grace Knox hit a three-pointer to beat the shot clock and give Eitwanda a 60-59 advantage with 2:30 left.

Tati Griffin’s three-pointer with 1:27 left pulled Ontario Christian to within a point. The Knights tried to work the ball into the post on their next possession, but Aliyahna Morris stole it and called a timeout with 41 seconds left. Etiwanda’s Chasity Rice then launched a fadeaway three-pointer from the corner that went three quarters of the way down but popped out.

Ontario Christian got the ball back and Smith drove and drew a foul. She made both shots, putting Ontario Christian up 64-63 with 17 seconds left. Etiwanda called its last timeout to draw up a play, but Morris’ floater in the lane failed to draw iron with 2.3 seconds left. Smith was fouled twice (the second time in the bonus) and made the first foul shot with two-tenths of a second left. She missed the second, but victory was secured.

Ontario Christian’s Tatianna Griffin puts up a shot in front of Etiwanda’s Shaena Brew on Saturday night.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Griffin finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds and Sydney Douglas added 14 points and nine rebounds for Ontario Christian.

Morris had 20 points, Arynn Finley had 14 points, Knox had nine points and seven rebounds, and Shaena Brew had 10 assists for Etiwanda.

Attendance for the night session at Toyota Arena (three games) was 11,625. The total attendance for the day (six games) was 14,866.