After last season’s amazing success, many questioned whether or not Riordan Boys Basketball could reach those same heights once again. And although the jury is still out on that one, there is no doubt that this year’s team has dominated. But what has helped keep the vibes up, the team energized, and the chemistry strong?

As senior and star forward, JP Phitovs ’26 said, “A lot of it comes from how tight our group is. Even with a younger roster, everyone’s
bought in and willing to work for each other.”

A younger roster can sometimes take a while to adapt, but veteran players like Phitovs have helped by acting as mentors for them, as
he has already gone through the same experience.

“Coming in last year, I had to adjust pretty quickly myself, so I understand what a lot of the younger guys are going through.” He added on, saying, “As a senior now, I focus on leading by example and being a positive voice in the room, especially for guys who are still finding their confidence at this level.”

This has definitely translated to their historic on-court performance. As of the press time, they are 27-1 overall and a perfect 14-0 in WCAL play, and have won a record 43 straight games and counting in WCAL.

The most exhilarating games both came against SI. First, Riordan won an absolute nailbiter, 53- 51, on Jan. 27 against their city rivals by a buzzer beater from star forward Andrew Hillman ’26.

Then, on Feb. 17, during senior night, with the WCAL Championship on the line, they defeated SI again in a double overtime classic, 100-95.

In addition to focusing on intensity, teamwork, and mentorship, the team has also emphasized discipline both physical and mental in practice.

On the physical side, Phitovs said, “We’re really focused on sharpening the details of our game. Practices have been intense, and we’re emphasizing consistency, discipline, and playing the right way.”

Meanwhile, to bolster their mental strength, Cole White ’27 said, “Before each game, we do a 60 second visualization and we share words of affirmation.”

As regular season ends and the playoffs begin, Coach Joey Curtin ’01 continued to emphasize the importance of focusing on one
game at a time.

Coach Curtin said, “We are just taking things one day at a time. We don’t want to look ahead. Just at the opponent in front of us and how we can execute against them.”