CIF State Basketball Tournament: NorCal finals roundup; Salesian tops Riordan; State title schedule (3-10-26)

SAN FRANCISCO — Andrew Hilman buried his head in his hands. Later, he buried it in his No. 2 jersey.

It couldn't possibly end like this.

A brilliant four-year run putting in all those hours, all those days of practice, leading Riordan to all the victories and championships, some 8,000 miles away from his home in Cameroon of Central Africa, all finished up with the longest 14 minutes and 15 seconds of his playing career.

Or in this case: His non-playing career.

The Riordan High School senior guard, who fouled out with 2:10 left in the third quarter, watched helplessly as Salesian, behind a stifling defense that didn't allow a basket for more than 12 minutes in the second half and 20 points from Stanford-signee Elias Obenyah — all but four after the third quarter — pulled out a 59-54 Northern California Open Division overtime thriller.

High school basketball California — Salesian coach Bill Mellis raises his arms triumphantly after Tuesday's hard-earned 59-54 overtime win at Riordan in the CIF Northern California Open Division championship on March 10, 2026 | Photo by Eric Taylor

Salesian (29-3) now moves on to the state finals 8 p.m. Saturday against Southern California champion Sierra Canyon at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. It avenged a season-ending loss at Riordan in last year's NorCal playoffs, just as Salesian ended Riordan's season in 2024 at NorCals.

Since 2018, the teams had met six times, deadlocked at three wins apiece. Just as they were deadlocked at the end of regulation at 49-49. Two free throws by Riordan's DJ Armstrong tied it with 30.2 seconds left.

A midrange miss by Obenyah was eventually gathered by Salesian's Leon Powe Jr. whose contested left-hand layup hung on the rim for the possible game-winner but just fell off.

The overtime was 10 free throws in 14 attempts by Salesian, five makes coming from Obenyah, and despite a three-pointer from JP Pihtovs (16 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks) and a driving layup by freshman Judah Van Ewjik, the Crusaders' magical, dominating season ended at 28-2.

"I don't remember who said it, but this was like the Game of the Year in Northern California," said Salesian coach Bill Mellis, who picked up win No. 697 in his career. "I think for those that actually got a ticket they got their money's worth.

"I bet you if we played 10 times, it ends up 5-5."

Maybe. But probably not if Hilman went the distance and the Crusaders played with the same pace and fury as they did the first half on Tuesday

Riordan had Salesian completely on its heels behind the dominating play of the high-flying 6-8 Pihtovs, who besides sending down four dunks and scoring five buckets in the first half, absolutely rejected Salesian's drive and power game.

Hilman, who along with Pihtovs are headed to USF next year, wasn't scoring at will, but he was faciliating and defending. He did cap a 12-4 run with a three-pointer giving him seven points. Few would believe those would be the last points of his career.

High school boys basketball California — Riordan's Andrew Hilman (2) can't believe he picked up his fifth foul in the third quarter of the NorCal Open Division title game at home against Salesian, March 10, 2026 | Photo by Eric Taylor

After a Carlton Perrilliat tip in for Salesian, Hilman fed Pihtovs for a dunk, making it 34-21.

"They definitely had their momentum going," Mellis said. "They were in rhythum. They had pep in their stop. I mean, they had it rolling."

But six seconds left until intermission, Hilman was was whistled for his third foul, right in front of the Salesian bench, 60 feet from the basket. Powe sank two free throws to cut Riordan's lead to 34-23.

As the game dragged to a defensive stalemate in the third, Hilman picked up an offensive foul, his fourth, with 5:11 left in the third. He went right to the bench. When Riordan's athletic 6-9 forward Emmanuel Ahamefule powered home a putback, Riordan led 38-23 and all looked glorious and in cruise control for the Crusaders.

Then disaster for Riordan.

After a Powe 3 and two free throws cut the lead to 10, Hilman was re-inserted late in the third quarter. Why?

"He's played more than 100 games in his career," Curtin said. "It's his last game at home win or lose. He's probably the smartest, saviest player I have or ever will coach. ... If it was any other player I wouldn't have. Perhaps I didn't have as much trust (in the other players).

"I've done this before, so it wasn't something new."

But him fouling out sure was. He was called for a questionable blocking foul. He appeared to be set. It didn't matter. He was gone.

And like a shark smelling blood, Salesian struck quickly and ferociously. These are the

Powe hit another three-pointer, Jahlil Lindsey powered in a deuce, and after an Armstrong jumper with 1:10 left in t e third, Tayshaun Bozeman scored a contested inside duece and suddenly the Pride were within striking range, 42-36 heading into the fourth.

California high school basketball — Isaiah Davis fought off leg cramps and scored six key points, including making two free throws in overtime. "This means everything because last year we lost here and it was our last game and they were talking crazy. So it was a great feeling to get this win over them at their house." | Photo by Eric Taylor

Mellis didn't think necessarily Hilman's abscense guaranteed a Salesian win.

"They're a deep team, we're a deep team," he said. "Hilman is a pretty important piece, but we just did a good job of chipping away. You can't worry about all that stuff. You got to just chip away."

Obenyah proved to be the chief chipper.

The 6-5 senior and fourth-year starter, the team's leading scorer at 16.5 per game, had only two points in the team's semifinal win over St. Ignatius, but contributed six assists and 11 rebounds.

On Tuesday, he had only four points through three, but went quickly to work, converting a couple old-fashion three points plays, the second of which closed the gap to 45-44. He scored two more buckets in the quarter, the first tied the game at 47-47 for the first time since it was 5-5.

Then he gave the Pride their very first lead 49-47 with 49 seconds left, on another tough dribble drive and layup, before Armstrong's free throws sent the game into overtime.

Obenyah said he wasn't trying to take over the scoring load, but rather "just win, win, win," he said. "I wasn't really thinking that could have been my last quarter. I was just thinking about getting to Saturday."

High school boys basketball cif playoffs — Elias Obenyah drives toward two of his game-high 20 points | Photo by Eric Taylor

Hilman, who sat right next to Curtin the entire way, the first to cheer on his team, eventually saw the writing on the wall and buried his head into his hands after one final Riordan turnover with 3.5 seconds to play. Asante Johnson sank two free throws to seal it.

Salesian chalked up the win to their grit, resolve and experience.

Curtin didn't debate any of that, but questioned the foul desparity: Riordan 27, Salesian 16. Salesian was 18 of 26 from the foul line. Riordan was 16-for-22.

Really what the Crusaders believed was foul was that "Not to have your best player out for half the game. It's not even about the loss. It's how it transpired," Curtin said. "I'm proud of how our guys fought without Andrew there, to fight through that and overtime and give yourself a shot."

Curtin kept his team in the locker room for more than 30 minutes. When the doors opened, the players were embracing. The longest hugs were for Hilman, who led his team to 105 wins against 16 losses, including 42 straight West Catholic Athletic League wins and a 54-2 record in league overall. They three WCAL and CCS titles, and last year's NorCal Open crown.

Everyone in the program wanted another chance at Golden 1 Center.

"He was cheering and trying to get his teammates pumped up and calmed down and excited all at once," Curtin said. "He was trying to be an extra coach out there. My heart breaks for him. My heart really breaks for him.. The community has really embraced the senior class and obviously Andrew and JP are going to USF. But they've meant just so much to the rise and elevation of this program. Where it is.

"Joseph Jose

Mellis' enthusiasm for his senior class is very similar. He gets one more game to coach Obenyah, Perrilliat, Power and all the other seniors.

"It's a resilient group," he said. "A lot of the guys in the room knew what to expect and didn't get too rattled by the dunks and the crowd and whatever. I think our experience certainly showed tonight. The game could have gone either way. We just made a few more plays and a few more free throws.

PREGAME — It's the matchup all Bay Area boys basketball fans have been waiting for: Top 10 state teams Salesian at Riordan, the top two seeds in the Open Division bracket.

Riordan eliminated Salesian last year en route to a NorCal Open title.

Salesian eliminated Riordan en route to the 2024 NorCal Open title.

This is the rubber match.

Not only is it a supreme matchup of teams, but Stanford-bound Elias Obenyah (Salesian) battles USF signee Andrew Hilman (Riordan) in a battle of likely Northern California Player of the Year showdown.

Stay tuned below all night for updates from this game among others.

In meantime, enjoy the roundup of semifinal games and matchups below, which we will update later.

FULL CIF STATE BRACKETS

BOYS

GIRLS

CIF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PLAYOFFS SATURDAY SCORES

(Check back tonight for details on games throughout the region)

Boys

Open Division

Saturday’s semifinals

No. 1 Archbishop Riordan 86, No. 4 Modesto Christian 60: According to Ethan Kassel, Riordan exploded for 57 second-half points led by USF signees Andrew Hilman (24 points, six rebounds, six assists) and JP Pihtovs (18 points, 14 rebounds) to win going away. Sincere Hudson (19 points) and Trevor Dickson (18) led Modesto Christian.

No. 2 Salesian 61, No. 3 St. Ignatius 41: From film alone, St. Ignatius boys basketball coach Jason Greenfield was asked if Salesian's juggernaut of a team reminded him of any team he's seen.

"Yes, Riordan," he said just before Saturday's showdown with the Pride at Contra Costa College. "Hopefully we'll come out with a different result."

California high school boys basketball — Salesian senior Elias Obenyah goes up for two of his game-high 26 points during a 74-62 win over Modesto Christian in the 28th MLK Classic at De La Salle on Jan. 19, 2026. He leads Salesian into Tuesday's NorCal title game. | Photo by Sam Stringer

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, it was more of the same. Just stickier.

Salesian, with a week off, clamped down on the super-shooting and effiecient Wildcats en route to a thorough and stingy 61-41 CIF Northern California Open Division victory Saturday night.

Fittingly, ironicially, predictably, the Pride, who held St. Ignatius to a season-low in points including only two points in the fourth quarter — on two free throws (0-for-13 from the field) — now face Riordan in the NorCal finals in San Francisco.

Riordan, which handed St. Ignatius three of its previous four losses on the season, had little trouble in the other semifinal game defeating Modesto Christian 86-60.

Salesian, which got 14 points from Carlton Perrilliat Jr. and 13 by Leon Powe Jr., hope to avenge a 64-57 season ending loss to Riordan last season in the NorCal playoffs. Riordan went on to win the NorCal championship before losing in the state finals to Roosevelt.

The previous season, Salesian eliminated Riordan 49-44 en route to a NorCal Open championship before losing in the 2024 state finals to Harvard-Westlake (50-45).

Riordan (28-1) is seeded No. 1 in this season's Open, and Salesian (28-3) is No. 2.

"I think this is the game that probaby everyone wanted to see," said Salesian coach Bill Mellis, who won his 696th game, making him the winningest active coach in Northern California. "I think in the back of everybody's mind, probably (Riordan's) too, this game was going to happen."

Remarkably, St. Ignatius and Salesian had never met before and after seeing the Pride in person the first time, he came away thinking it was a lot like facing Riordan, whoever those games were higher scoring (53-51, 100-95 and 73-51).

Tuesday’s final

No. 1 Redding Christian 74, No. 2 St. Vincent de Paul 37

GIRLS

Open Division

Saturday’s semifinals

No. 1 Archbishop Mitty 74, No. 4 San Ramon Valley 46: McDonald's All-American McKenna Woliczko had 22 points and the host Monarchs (27-2) rolled to an easy win over the Wolves (26-5), who were coming off a stirring 51-44 win at Carondelet. Maliya Hunter and Tierra McCarthy added 15 and 12 points respectively for the Monarchs.

No. 6 Woodland Christian 49, No. 1 Modoc 36

Friday’s state championship game

No. 6 Woodland Christian (31-3) vs. No. 4 Laguna Hills (21-11) at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 10 a.m.

Division 6

Saturday’s semifinals

No. 1 Cornerstone Christian 46, No. 4 Ferndale 31

No. 2 Redding Christian 52, No. 3 Forest Lake Christian 26

Wednesday's final

No. 2 Redding Christian (29-3) at No. 1 Cornerstone Christian (26-7), 5 p.m.

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