If you think college sports has been changed by the transfer portal, prepare for what’s happening in girls’ high school basketball. They say what happens in college trickles down to high schools, and that’s the case this season.
There are so many high-level transfers that it’s almost looking like boys’ basketball. And it comes at a time of enhanced enforcement of transfer rules by the Southern Section, so who’s available and who’s not remains to be seen.
The top schools — Etiwanda, Ontario Christian and Sierra Canyon — have added key players to their squads. Mater Dei and Fairmont Prep are next in line. And there’s a new team in the mix, Oak Park, which lost its point guard but gained more than enough from the transfer portal after the hiring of former WNBA player April Schilling, who’s the wife of Pepperdine men’s coach Ed Schilling. Corona Centennial might have more transfers than any team, including 6-foot-6 sophomore Sydney Douglas from Ontario Christian.
Etiwanda coach Stan Delus is hoping frustration days are behind.
(Jose Luis Villegas / For The Times)
“This is probably going to be one of the toughest, deepest Division 1s since 2016 with some new teams emerging and different teams picking up transfers,” said Etiwanda coach Stan Delus, whose team has won three straight Open Division state championships.
Etiwanda added 6-3 Tess Oldenburg from Chino Hills and 6-1 Jaylee Moore from Northern California power Carruthers, plus freshman Cassidy Morgan to join returnees Arynn Finley, Aliyah Phillips and Chasity Rice.
Ontario Christian still has the No. 1 player in California in junior point guard Kaleena Smith, who’s taking recruiting visits to USC and UCLA. Also back are talented sophomore Tati Griffin and junior Dani Robinson plus the addition of transfers Layia King from Inglewood St. Mary’s and Skylar Archer from Shadow Hills and freshman Chloe Jenkins.
At a Mission League media day, coaches were asked what was motivating transfers. Few spoke up.
“I think Southern California keeps getting better and better,” Sierra Canyon coach Alicia Komaki said. “This is as good as a team we’ve had and we’re not guaranteed of anything.”
Sierra Canyon returns Jerzy Robinson, who is being recruited by Connecticut, Louisiana State and South Carolina. “I’m better at everything,” she said.
Then there’s 6-5 center Emilia Krstevski, an Oregon commit who speaks Macedonian, has a Canadian passport and keeps improving. Payton Montgomery is another returnee from a 28-3 team, but the key player might be Oak Park transfer Delaney White, an All-Southern Section point guard. Transfer paperwork was submitted six weeks ago but still hasn’t been approved for her.
Jerzy Robinson of Sierra Canyon is considered the best girls’ basketball prospect from the class of 2026.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Former Ontario Christian coach Matt Tumambing was hired at Centennial, and suddenly new players began to arrive. Douglas, a 6-7 sophomore joined the Huskies along with former Ontario Christian guard Jelise Max. There’s so many transfers that Centennial officials have been spending weeks reviewing the paperwork.
Fairmont Prep has five freshmen on its roster to support All-Southern Section player Adyra Rajan. Redondo Union picked up freshman Rudy Hopkins from Finland. Oak Park has added sophomore Maya Urteaga from Moorpark. She averaged 26 points last season. Also joining the Eagles are UC Santa Barbara commit Karisma Lewis from Buena and 6-4 Diana Sorrondo from Arroyo Grande.
The winningest coach in California girls basketball history, Kevin Kiernan, has returned to coach at Troy, which is hosting a tournament next month that could result in a championship game between Sierra Canyon and Ontario Christian.
As far as other top players, All-Southern Section guard Amalia Holguin of Sage Hill is committed to Texas; Kaeli Wynn of Mater Dei is headed to South Carolina; Kamdyn Klamberg of Sage Hill is a rising junior; sophomore Hamiley Arenas of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame is a high-scoring guard; Charis Rainey of Windward played for the U16 women’s national team.
In the City Section, Westchester, Palisades and Garfield figure to battle it out for the Open Division title, which was won last season by Hamilton. Sophomore Kayla Tanijiri of Birmingham is the returning West Valley League player of the year.