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When Sierra Canyon girls basketball coach Alicia Komaki was taking questions after winning this year’s CIF State Open Division title, one media member pointed out something Komaki accomplished that’s never been done before.
The young, fiery coach won her fifth CIF State title in 10 years.
“It’s about the girls, and I wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for them, or for Sierra Canyon, or for Rock Pillsbury hiring me 10 years ago,” Komaki said that evening on March 12. “He took a chance on a kid that’s never been a head coach before. I was young, I didn’t know what I was doing.”
Head coach Alicia Komaki of Sierra Canyon celebrates after with the trophy after defeating Archbishop Mitty 85-61 to win the CIF State Open Division girls basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Alicia Komaki of Sierra Canyon celebrates with her bench in the final seconds of a CIF State Open Division girls basketball state championship game against Archbishop Mitty at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. Sierra Canyon defeated Archbishop Mitty 85-61. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)
Head coach Alicia Komaki of Sierra Canyon celebrates after with the trophy after defeating Archbishop Mitty 85-61 to win the CIF State Open Division girls basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
head coach Alicia Komaki of Sierra Canyon hugs Izela Arenas after defeating Sierra Canyon celebrates after defeating Archbishop Mitty 85-61 to win the CIF State Open Division girls basketball state championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday, March 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Sierra Canyon head coach Alicia Komaki watches from the sideline during the CIF Southern Section Open Division girls basketball championship game against Etiwanda at Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Girls’ basketball Head Coach Alicia Komaki lets out a smile during basketball media day at Sierra Canyon Wednesday in Chatsworth.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Coach Alicia Komaki talks to her players as Sierra Canyon loses 65-59 in the first-round of the Open Division SoCal Regional tournament at Windward on Wednesday, March 4, 2020.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Coach Alicia Komaki talks to her players as Sierra Canyon loses 65-59 in the first-round of the Open Division SoCal Regional tournament at Windward on Wednesday, March 4, 2020.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Sierra Canyon head coach Alicia Komaki watches as Etiwanda celebrates its win, 69-57, in the CIF Southern Section Open Division girls basketball championship game at Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Komaki can add another accolade to her resume. She was named the named 2022 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association High School National Coach of the Year Tuesday afternoon, receiving the Pat Summitt Trophy, named for the late legendary University of Tennessee coach and awarded annually to the national coaches of the year in each of the WBCA’s six membership divisions.
The last Southern California coach to win the award was Kevin Kiernan in 2006. Kiernan was the coach at Troy High at the time, and is now the head coach at Mater Dei.
The Trailblazers lost just two games this season. One to La Jolla Country Day and the other to Etiwanda. Both were avenged, and that’s the mark of a good coach, showing she could adjust accordingly.
Komaki led Sierra Canyon to a 63-62 win over La Jolla Country Day in San Diego in the CIF State regional semifinal before taking down Etiwanda 60-51 for the CIF State Open Division regional crown.
The following week, Komaki won the CIF State title with an 85-61 victory over Archbishop Mitty in Sacramento.
