Photos: Watch Riordan boys play, celebrate hard en route to 17th Central Coast Section title

The state's No. 7 ranked team enjoy the fruits of their labor with a joyous, hearty celebration after a very hard-earned championship victory

With all that talent on the Riordan boys basketball team — at least eight players reportedly have been offered Division I scholarships — one might believe the game is more for show than for fun. Or that the Crusaders (24-4) are somehow divided or not team players. 

Check out the reactions to winning the program's 17th Central Coast Section championship Friday night at Santa Clara University's Leavey Center with a tough 59-53 Open Division triumph over a very game Mitty squad. Raucous. Emotional. Loud. Spirited. 

Perhaps the reaction had something to do with how difficult Mitty (21-7) made it on them, while getting four players to score in double figures: Sophomore Caeden Hutcherson and UC Riverside commit Tyler Jones each scored 13 while Nathan Noronha and San Diego commit Gavin Ripp scored 11 . 

CCS boys Open Division championship: Riordan needs spectacular dunk, super depth to win 17th title, this over game Mitty squad

Riordan, however, who bring 6-4 senior and Evansville signee Kaia Berridge off the bench, had too much of everything. 

Cameroonian sophomore Andrew Hilman led the Crusaders with 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds, while Jasir Rencher, the only player to play on both Riordan’s 2022 and 2024 championship teams, made six of nine free throws in the fourth quarter to finish with 12. St. Mary's commit, top scorer and recruit Zion Sensley was limitted to 11. Berridge (nine points) delivered the two key plays, a 3-point hoop in the third quarter and a fourth-quarter highlight-reel dunk to secure the win. 

(Check out all the great images from Greg Jungferman below)

Photo: Greg Jungferman

Photo: Greg Jungferman

File photo: Greg Jungferman

Photo: Greg Jungferman