Salesian boys rally from 15 down to beat Riordan for NorCal title

Salesian will play for the Open Division state crown after beating Riordan, which played the fourth quarter and OT without its best player after he fouled out.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Riordan's star senior guard Andrew Hilman fouled out in the third quarter, and Salesian-Richmond took advantage, rallying from a 15-point deficit to beat Riordan 59-54 in overtime and advance to the CIF state championship game against Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth. Salesian was led by Stanford-bound Elias Obenyah, who scored 20 points, 16 of them in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Why it matters

Salesian's comeback victory over Riordan, one of the top high school basketball programs in Northern California, sets up an intriguing state championship matchup against powerhouse Sierra Canyon. The game also highlighted the impact of losing a key player to foul trouble, as Riordan struggled without Hilman in the second half.

The details

Riordan jumped out to a 15-point lead, fueled by the play of Hilman and fellow USF signee JP Pihtovs. But Hilman picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and fouled out shortly after, forcing Riordan to play the rest of the game without its best player. Salesian then rallied, with Obenyah scoring 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead the comeback.

  • Hilman picked up his third foul with six seconds left in the first half.
  • Hilman picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and fouled out shortly after.
  • Salesian trailed by 15 points before rallying in the second half.

The players

Andrew Hilman

A senior guard for Riordan who led the team to 105 wins and is credited with lifting the Crusaders to their position as a state power. He is signed to play at the University of San Francisco.

Elias Obenyah

A Stanford-bound senior who led Salesian with 20 points, 16 of them in the fourth quarter and overtime, to power the comeback victory.

Bill Mellis

The head coach of Salesian-Richmond.

Joey Curtin

The head coach of Riordan.

JP Pihtovs

A senior for Riordan who is also signed to play at the University of San Francisco. He had 16 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in the game.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“After tonight, I'm going to root for you every moment full board. Hope you have a great college career and beyond.”

— Bill Mellis, Salesian-Richmond head coach (San Francisco Chronicle)

“It's probably the worst way to go out, to not have your best player in the second half. I think the officiating completely changed the game. He was cheering and trying to get his teammates pumped up and calmed down and excited all at once. He was trying to be an extra coach out there. My heart breaks for him. My heart really breaks for him.”

— Joey Curtin, Riordan head coach (San Francisco Chronicle)

“It's a resilient group. 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.”

— Elias Obenyah (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

Salesian will play Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth, the Southern California champion, in the CIF state championship game on Saturday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

The takeaway

Salesian's comeback victory over Riordan, one of the top high school basketball programs in Northern California, showcased the team's resilience and experience. The loss of Riordan's star player Andrew Hilman to foul trouble proved to be a pivotal moment that allowed Salesian to rally and advance to the state championship game.