The 2023-2024 season for the boys basketball team was one to behold. Winning the West Coast Athletic League championship, setting records along the way, and making it to the CCS (Central Coast Selection) open division NorCal finals. Ultimately falling short losing to Salesian College Prep 49-44 after a hard fought game.
Despite the disheartening loss, the team still had an incredible season full of hard work, memories, challenges, and triumph.
Getting straight to work, the team found themselves working hard in June, a full four months before the season started in November.
Head coach, and Riordan alumnus, Joey Curtin ’01 said, “In the fall we did a lot of conditioning, strength training, open gyms.”
This allowed the team to prepare early and even get games in at events like the Section 7 tournament in Arizona.
Early on in the season, the team had struggles with team chemistry and working together.
Saint Mary’s commit and Riordan basketball star, Zion Sensley ’24 shared, “Our team chemistry took some time. When we first started up in June our chemistry wasn’t really there.”
He continued, “I mean this year was a whole different team from last year and we had to figure out roles and pieces to the team so once we figured that out and got closer off and on the court it became natural chemistry and that led to a lot of wins.”
And win they did. The team went undefeated in league play in 14 games, crushing the competition to ultimately win the WCAL championship.
In doing so, they broke the WCAL record of points in a season, with 1013 points. The previous record was held by Riordan in 1987 with 955 points.
“We set the record for most points in a season all time in WCAL history,” according to Curtin.
Notably, the team also had seven players who were either committed to Division 1 schools, or had offers to those schools.
After winning the WCAL championship, the boys had another thing they had to conquer. The CCS open division NorCal playoffs.
The team found themselves in a groove, beating the first five opponents that they faced. One of those being rival school, Archbishop Mitty, whom they beat 59-53 on Feb. 23.
“The rivalry games are special, you never know what could happen in those,” Curtin said.
The team fought hard until the last minute, but unfortunately could not scratch out a win against Salesian College Prep at the NorCal CCS open division final.
This team was truly one to behold, breaking records and winning the WCAL championship.
The Crusader Forum was the place to be for high school sports this basketball season.
