CIF state hoops championships: Riordan overrun by Burries’ record night

Burries looked right at home on the NBA court of the Sacramento Kings, putting on an absolute show. The senior had the magic touch through the first half, missing on just one 2-point opportunity. He finished 15 of 22 from the field, including 4 for 6 from long range, while converting 10 of 12 free throws. He is the third player in CIF finals history to score 44 or more points. Last year, Alijah Arenas of Chatsworth scored 44 points in the boys’ Division IV finals. Glendora’s Tracy Murray holds the all-time record, scoring 64 points in the 1988-89 Division II championship game.

Burries is part of what Roosevelt head coach Stephen Singleton refers to as his three-headed monster. Burries, and seniors Myles Walker and Isaac Williamson have played together since grade school, and enjoyed quite a final stanza to their high school careers. Walker added 15 points, four assists and three steals, and Williamson had seven. Burries finished with a double-double, including 12 rebounds.

“We’ve seen that all year,” Singleton said. “He’s so efficient and he gets to the free-throw line and he puts a lot of pressure on other teams. ... He was locked in tonight, and it was just a special night.”

Riordan was paced by senior Jasir Rencher’s 22 points and eight rebounds, but the Crusaders had trouble penetrating the paint all night. A Nor Cal finalist last season, Riordan was playing in its first CIF Open Division championship game. The Crusaders reached the state finals three other times, including a Division III championship in 2001-02.

“This team is obviously a historic team,” Riordan head coach Joe Curtin said. “We came up short tonight but we battled. We tried to fight back. We were taking some blows but we were staying in there. This team is an absolute joy to coach. ... They’re a coach’s dream. ... This team, regardless of the outcome tonight, this team is an all-time team. And I don’t think anyone should lose track of that, for sure.”

Riordan endured its second critical injury in two games.

In last Tuesday’s Nor Cal regional finals — a 52-40 victory over De La Salle-Concord — the Crusaders lost senior point guard Ryder Bush to a finger injury. In the second half Saturday, junior guard Andrew Hilman drove for a layup and was upended by a Roosevelt defender, falling hard on his hip and lower back. Hilman didn’t get up off the floor for several minutes and remained in the game for a few plays before he eventually had to be carried to the medical area. He hobbled into the postgame press conference on crutches. No one asked Curtin or Hilman directly about the injury during the press conference.

“If we’re healthy, I feel like we’re going to go out there and win every night,” Rencher said.

Girls’ Open Division

Etiwanda 75, Mitty 59

Etiwanda (28-5) earned a three-peat in the CIF main event, all three Open Division titles in head-to-head play with Mitty. The Monarchs shot their way out of it, scoring at a 29.7% clip as the Eagles pulled away with a 24-13 run in the third quarter.

Mitty (27-4) was without star junior McKenna Woliczko, who has missed most of the year with a knee injury. The San Bruno native was on the sideline, and remained involved and engaged with her teammates throughout.

In the end, Etiwanda’s 57.4% scoring clip was the main thread of the contest. Five Eagles scored in double digits, led by junior guard Arynn Finley’s game-high 21 points. Senior point guard added 13 points and seven assists, while forward Grace Knox recorded a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. Mitty junior Zi Patterson scored a team-high 17 points, junior Abigail James had 11, while freshman Maliya Hunter added 10 points and seven rebounds, and junior Emma Cook had 10 points and six rebounds.

Boys’ Division IV

Priory 83, Fresno Christian 66

Six Priory players scored in double figures as the Panthers (26-6) won their first state championship in program history. The Panthers trailed by 1 at the half, but used a 27-12 third-quarter run to take the game in hand.

The rebounding game was basically equal, favoring Priory 33-32. But the Panthers used their size advantage to get to the hoops, with 6-8 junior Mate Palotai scoring 16 points to share the team-high with senior guard Balazs Nyikos. Teddy Xanthopoulos, a 6-6 sophomore, added 15 points, junior point guard Jai Gerrodette had 13, and juniors Kasten Eggers and Noah Gallon totaled 10 points apiece.

Fresno Christian junior forward Devin Gaines scored a game-high 21 points, junior guard Noah Coulton added 18, and senior Aden Millwee had 14.

The game was the first CIF state finals appearance for both Priory and Fresno Christian (30-7).

Girls’ Division II

Caruthers 56, Rancho Bernardo 37

Caruthers (26-6) became the first Central Section team ever to win back-to-back state championships. The Blue Raiders won the Division III title last season with a 54-48 win over Granada Hills Charter. This year’s crown is the program’s third all-time, with its first coming in 2019 at Division V.

Junior guard Emmi Almeida led the way Saturday with a double-double, totaling a game-high 21 points to go with 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Caruthers turned over the ball just 10 times, while Rancho Bernardo (26-8) committed 18 turnovers.

Lindsay Biddle paced Rancho Bernardo, as the junior guard recorded a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Senior guard Reese Tokushige added 11 points.

Boys’ Division II

Jesuit 66, Chatsworth 53

Hometown Jesuit traveled 10 miles down the road to Golden 1 Center to claim its program’s first state title. The Marauders played in back-to-back state championship games in 1993 and ’94, falling to Crenshaw-Los Angeles both times.

Four starters scored in double figures for the Marauders (27-9), who shot at a 51.2% clip. Freshman guard Maison Phillips converted three 3-pointers to score a team-high 19 points, senior forward Amaury McKiney added 13, and seniors Luke Browne and Asher Schroeder scored 12 apiece. Alijah Arenas — who last year scored 44 points in Chatsworth’s 74-66 loss to Monterey in the CIF Division IV finals, the second-best single-game total ever in a state champions — led all scorers with 22 points for the Chancellors (26-9).