HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: JAN 20 Spalding Hoophall Classic - Incarnate Word vs Etiwanda - Source: Getty

LSU signee Grace Knox's Etiwanda takes down Windward, moves closer to back-to-back state titles

Modified Feb 22, 2025 16:55 GMT

Five-star LSU signee Grace Knox and defending state champion Etiwanda faced Windward High on Wednesday to resume their title defense. The Etiwanda Eagles scored a massive 78-37 victory. Knox had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The Eagles are the No. 2 seed in the 2025 CIF Southern Section Girls' Basketball Championships, and with this win, they are one step closer to winning the state championship again.

The Eagles began their playoff campaign on Feb. 15 with a 96-57 win over Fairmont Prep.

However, the next game will be considered a much tougher contest for Grace Knox & Co. Their next opponent will be the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, the Mater Dei Monarchs, led by another five-star senior in Iowa commit Addie Deal.

Like Knox, she has also been named a McDonald's All-American, with the two set to team up for the West team on April 1 in New York City. Their showdown is scheduled for Saturday.

Both Mater Dei and Etiwanda are considered to be shoe-ins for the knockout stage of the 2025 CIF Southern Section Girls' Basketball Championships Open Division playoffs, with the winner of that game deciding which team wins Pool B. The winner will also get a much more favorable seeding in the knockout stage.

Grace Knox has led the Etiwanda Eagles to a 20-game winning streak

Grace Knox has continued to guide Etiwanda to not only one of the best high school teams in Southern California but the entire country. The Eagles have a 24-4 record, with all four losses coming early in the season to some of the country's top teams.

The last time Etiwanda lost was on Dec. 14 against Long Island Lutheran from New York (88-79). The Eagles never looked back since and are on a big 20-game winning streak.

The winning streak included snapping Incarnate World Academy's record-setting 141-game winning streak during the Hoophall Classic last Jan. 20. The Eagles have also defeated some of the top teams in the country, including Cerritos and Sidwell Friends.

However, a possible opponent that the Eagles might face in the playoffs is Ontario Christian, led by No. 1-ranked sophomore Kaleena Smith. The team previously defeated Etiwanda last Nov. 23. with a final score of 73-66.