Sierra Canyon holds off furious Salesian College Prep rally for 78-70 win in California's CIF Open Division title game

Sierra Canyon holds off furious Salesian College Prep rally for 78-70 win in California's CIF Open Division title game originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . SACRAMENTO, California, March 13 — Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] lost star forward Maxi Adams to an ankle injury shortly after tip-off, but fortunately, they still had a real McCoy on their side.

Power forward Brandon McCoy took over to lead his Trailblazers to a 78-70 win over the NorCal champion Salesian College Prep [Richmond, CA] Pride, claiming the school's fifth state championship in the process. The title is Sierra Canyon's first in the CIF Open Division since winning back-to-back titles in 2018-19. Sierra Canyon (30-1) won California's Division I title a year ago, so technically, they are back-to-back champions again.

But, no doubt, winning the Golden State's premier division was the goal for the Trailblazers all along, and the nation's No. 6 team now awaits word on further postseason competition at the national level. Salesian proved to be a game opponent for much of the contest, and even when Sierra Canyon went up, 70-51, with 2:45 to play, the Pride lived up to their name.

They scored 19 points in less than three minutes to make it interesting, pulling to within 76-70 before Sierra Canyon slammed the door shut with a couple of free throws to make it a three-possession game with just 21. 5 seconds to play. With the loss, Salesian College Prep wrapped up its season at 29-4.