BOULDER — This is what Regis wanted. In their fifth consecutive final four, the Raiders have landed a third title shot.
Regis’ 55-40 victory over Horizon on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center in Class 5A was thorough, convincing and gave the Raiders a 100-11 record the past four seasons.
The next question: Will the much-hyped girls team with seven Division I signees win its coveted state championship?
“We’re a whole different team now,” Raiders senior T’Keyah Shealy said after scoring 10 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. “We have it together. This is fun right now and we’re looking to come out and do it Friday. We really want it.”
In improving to 23-4, Regis put up a wall on defense, got balanced scoring, owned the paint and kept the Hawks, who won the earlier matchup by 12 points, relegated to the perimeter. Even then, the Raiders’ defense extended to beyond the 3-point line, where the Hawks (25-2) fired mostly blanks, going 3-of-14 for the game.
“I’d say they won it inside,” Hawks coach Greg Hahn said.
Regis pressured the Hawks’ Cherae Medina into 1-of-10 shooting. The Malcolm-Peck twins, who will play for the University of Colorado next season, totaled only 26 points.
Regis led 9-9 and Horizon tied it, then the Raiders scored the next 16 points. Despite subpar free-throw shooting, their delay game was solid and they can’t wait to use it again in Friday’s championship game.
“Defense and rebounding did it for us,” Regis coach Carl Mattei said. “They really want to win this thing.”
Horizon 9 10 10 11 — 40
Regis 15 15 12 13 — 55
Horizon — Medina 1 0-0 2, Ro. Bollinger 0 0-0 0, Ra. Bollinger 1 1-2 3, M. Malcolm-Peck 7 1-2 16, Dyer 0 0-0 0, Burke 0 0-0 0, Gardner 0 0-0 0, Clements 3 0-0 7, B. Malcolm-Peck 3 3-3 10, Foster 0 2-2 2, Rasmussen 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 7-9 40.
Regis — Williams 3 9-14 15, Rolniak 3 4-6 10, Heckman 1 0-0 2, Rooney 0 0-0 0, Bokenkamp 2 0-1 5, O’Neil 1 0-0 2, Shealy 3 4-6 10, Winters 4 1-2 10, Zuraskyte 0 1-2 1. Totals 17 19-30 55.
3-point goals — Bokenkamp, Winters; Clements, B. Malcolm-Peck, M. Malcolm-Peck. Total fouls — Horizon 21, Regis 12. Fouled out — Cle- ments, Rolniak. Walker. Technicals — None.
