Despite the numerous challenges overcome by two-time Class 5A defending state champion Regis Jesuit during the last few seasons, the Raiders have had little practice bouncing back from tough defeats.
That is what happens when you compile a 48-game winning streak within the state. Yet now that the Raiders’ basketball team has proven to be mortal, it is displaying a knack for playing its best basketball on the heels of frustrating losses.
Two days after suffering a four-point loss against No. 9 Palmer, the fifth-ranked Raiders put together one of their best all-around efforts of the season and survived an injury scare to 6-foot-7 senior Ryan Winters to record a 63-39 nonconference victory at No. 7 George Washington.
“This was a good win against a very good GW team,” said Regis coach Ken Shaw, whose club reeled off three consecutive wins after Arapahoe ended its 48-game in-state winning streak last month. “I was proud of our guys bouncing back from the other night.
“We had a couple guys that are kind of role players off the bench like Chris Lesnansky, who played exceptional for Ryan. I think we’re certainly a well-balanced team.”
Winters, the Raiders’ second leading scorer, collided with George Washington’s Odessa Lear late in the first half and suffered a lower back injury. Winters did not return, although Shaw indicated the injury is not believed to be serious.
Regis (8-4) used a pair of 8-0 runs in the first quarter to establish an early lead but, with Winters on the bench, the Patriots hit their first five shots of the second half to pull within 11 points with about five minutes remaining in the third.
The Raiders, though, answered with another 8-0 run and steadily pulled away down the stretch.
“It’s tough with those losses, because we haven’t done that in a while, but obviously it feels great to get these wins and bounce back,” said Regis guard Tanner Samson, who led all scorers with 17 points. “We wanted to get that lead early, and that helped us out a bunch.”
Regis Jesuit 21 14 13 15 — 63
George Washington 8 10 13 8 — 39
RJ — Clark 4 0-0 9, Samson 6 2-4 17, Dyer 5 0-0 11, Smith 2 3-3 7, Winters 2 2-2 6, MacDonald 0 0-0 0, Lesnansky 2 0-0 4, Perkins 2 2-2 7, Garbrecht 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 9-11 63.
GW — Lear 1 6-6 9, Jones 2 0-0 4, Johnson 3 0-1 6, Williams 1 1-2 3, Marshall 3 1-2 7, Feng 2 0-0 4, O’Neal 0 1-2 1, Hudgens 0 0-0 0, Brown 2 0-0 5, DeHaro-Lopez 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 9-13 39.
3-point goals — Samson 3, Dyer, Clark, Perkins; Lear, Brown. Fouls — RJ 12, GW 15. Technicals — GW, Hudgens.
