BOULDER — At age 16, Regis High School basketball star Bud Thomas hit a shot so big it got him on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”
And, believe it or not, that was his No. 2 highlight of his week.
The Raiders won their first state championship in boys hoops, beating George Washington 67-63 in overtime.
“Look at this right here. What more can you ask for?” Thomas said Saturday night, standing on the court, waving a hand in salute to a happy mob of classmates in the arena. “That’s Regis High for you. That’s why I love it. Our team is like family, and our entire school is like a band of brothers.”
From up in the stands, the Regis students chanted: “We love Bud! We love Bud!”
The Raiders would never have been in the final except for a jaw-dropping, can-you-believe-that, 3-point jumper that Thomas banked home Thursday night to send Regis into overtime against ThunderRidge, a feat which was immediately deemed worthy of airtime by the Worldwide Leader.
But here’s what ESPN missed.
And the rest of the story is enough to make you believe this country just might be in good hands with the youth of America.
Seconds after the Regis team was presented with the gold trophy in honor of their Class 5A championship, the Raiders hauled their prize to the front row of the Coors Events Center and immediately presented it to 57-year-old twins from Denver who never attended the school.
The gift so overwhelmed Tom and Mike Lucci that they fell to their knees in joy.
“We’ve been following Regis basketball since 1968. And we go to every game. We’ve been there through all the heartbreak. I never thought we’d see this day,” Mike Lucci said.
And completing the sentence of his twin, Mike Lucci said, “My life is complete now.”
During the celebration, Raiders reserves Damian Mencini and Michael Clark wrapped the Lucci brothers in hugs, proving the twins are more than good luck charms.
They’re part of the Regis family.
“We’ve been saying all year that if we won the championship, the first place we’re taking the trophy was to the Lucci brothers. They mean everything to this team. They are in the gym before we are on game nights. They always sit in the same seats. They’re crazy for basketball. And that’s why I love them,” said Regis guard Joey Ptasinski, whose marksmanship from beyond the 3-point stripe during the third quarter gave the Raiders the time and space to catch a collective breath before the frenetic finish against George Washington, which was led by 25 points from Thomas Bropleh.
These are the times the Raiders will never forget so long as they live.
Don’t tell Stuart Scott or the rest of the ESPN gang, but here’s a little secret about Thomas’ 15 minutes of fame on national television.
“I still haven’t seen it,” admitted Thomas, who scored a solid 15 points in the championship game, rather mundane after his buzzer-beating miracle in the semifinals.
“Since he was 3 years old, my son has wanted to be on ‘SportsCenter.’ And when it happens, he doesn’t even see it,” said Sarah Thomas, a proud mother who has been so nervous her lone sustenance in the previous 36 hours was an iced coffee. “I haven’t been able to sleep or eat in days. This hasn’t been your average week. But everybody in our family missed the ESPN highlights.”
Somebody out there must have a copy of the videotape.
But here’s the thing: While a SportsCenter moment is cool, the best things in life are hugging 57-year-old twins who cheer you at every game and dancing with teammates at center court after winning a state championship.
Those are the memories guaranteed to never fade.
Mark Kiszla: 303-954-1053 or mkiszla@denverpost.com
