Sierra Canyon boys win Open Division state basketball title with Maxi Adams sidelined

The Trailblazers rally together to defeat Richmond Salesian after losing their star player early in the championship game.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 5:57am

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Sierra Canyon's boys basketball team won the Open Division state championship despite losing star player Maxi Adams to an ankle injury early in the game. The team rallied together, with Brandon McCoy leading the way, to defeat Richmond Salesian 78-70 at Golden 1 Center. Sierra Canyon overcame a nine-point deficit in the second quarter after Adams was helped off the court, with other players like Steph Kankole and JJ Sati-Greer stepping up to contribute. The Trailblazers pulled away in the second half, opening a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter behind McCoy's 20 points.

Why it matters

Sierra Canyon was the heavy favorite coming into the championship game, but the loss of their McDonald's All-American player Maxi Adams could have derailed their title hopes. The team's ability to overcome adversity and win the championship without their star player demonstrates their depth and resilience, and highlights the importance of team chemistry and next-man-up mentality in high-stakes basketball games.

The details

Sierra Canyon was leading Richmond Salesian early in the game when Maxi Adams, a McDonald's All-American, went down with an ankle injury just four minutes into the contest. He was helped to the locker room and later returned to the bench on crutches with his ankle wrapped. Despite the loss of their star player, Sierra Canyon rallied behind contributions from players like Steph Kankole, JJ Sati-Greer, Jordan Mize, and fellow McDonald's All-American Brandon McCoy. The Trailblazers overcame a nine-point deficit in the second quarter and took a one-point lead at halftime. They then pulled away in the second half, opening a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter on their way to a 78-70 victory and their first Open Division title since 2019.

  • The injury to Maxi Adams occurred less than four minutes into the championship game.
  • Sierra Canyon took a one-point lead at halftime.

The players

Maxi Adams

A McDonald's All-American player for Sierra Canyon who suffered an ankle injury early in the championship game.

Brandon McCoy

A fellow McDonald's All-American who led Sierra Canyon with 20 points after Adams' injury, making eight of 10 shots.

Andre Chevalier

The head coach of Sierra Canyon who deployed a deep roster of talented players to overcome the loss of their star player.

Bill Mellis

The head coach of Richmond Salesian, Sierra Canyon's opponent in the championship game.

Elias Obenyah

The leading scorer for Richmond Salesian with 27 points in the championship game.

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What they’re saying

“Everyone knew we were talented coming into the year, but there were a lot of questions. People thought we weren't going to merge. They've been friends since childhood. When Maxi went down everyone locked in and said we were going to win for Maxi. We've hanged our hat, we played nine all year long.”

— Andre Chevalier, Head Coach, Sierra Canyon (latimes.com)

“It means the world to me. I've had this goal written on the wall since high school.”

— Brandon McCoy (latimes.com)

“Oh my gosh, we've been waiting for him to make shots.”

— Andre Chevalier, Head Coach, Sierra Canyon (latimes.com)

“I love playing in arenas. They're fun.”

— Steph Kankole, Player, Sierra Canyon (latimes.com)

“They keep coming in waves.”

— Bill Mellis, Head Coach, Richmond Salesian (latimes.com)

What’s next

The Sierra Canyon team will likely celebrate their championship victory and look ahead to next season, where they will aim to defend their title and continue their dominance in California high school basketball.

The takeaway

Sierra Canyon's ability to overcome the loss of their star player Maxi Adams and rally together as a team to win the Open Division state championship demonstrates the depth and resilience of the Trailblazers' roster. This victory will be remembered as a testament to the team's chemistry and next-man-up mentality, which allowed them to overcome adversity and secure the title.