Regis Defeats Fairview, Wins Back To Back Titles
Photo by Mike Laughlin, Mile High Hoops
BOULDER—On Saturday night a red and white crowd of 10,169 was treated to a championship game of dramatic swings and plenty of high school heroism. When both teams were physically spent, and the overtime clock read 0:00, it was Regis 68 and Fairview 58, meaning the Raiders won their second consecutive 5A State Championship.
For the second year in a row it was the big stars for Regis who made all the plays when it mattered. Reigning player of the year Bud Thomas had more fouls than points for three quarters of the game, but played heady basketball down the stretch to leave his imprint on the game. Joey Ptasinski touched nothing but net in overtime, scoring 10 of his 24 points after regulation.
Judging the start of the game, it would have been tough to predict the finish.
Fairview leading scorer Darragh O’Neill was a question mark before the game with a severely sprained ankle, but started, and started well. He and the rest of the Knights jumped on Regis early taking a 13-0 lead, and forcing the Raiders into seven first quarter turnovers. In the quarter O’Neill dove or fell to the ground four different times, and it was obvious that it was taking a toll.
The Knights took a 15-4 lead into the second quarter, but lost some of the offensive mojo they played with in the first, shrinking the lead to 20-16 at the half.
After halftime the Raiders came out executing their offense well. Ptasinski, who had been ice cold in the first half, rose time and again from his spot one dribble left of the top of the key and began to find his range.
The fourth quarter saw both teams trading leads back and forth with Regis taking a commanding 10 point lead with a couple minutes to play. With big brother Darragh fouled out of the game, sophomore Shane O’Neill exploded for eight points in the last two minutes to bring the Knights back even. O’Neill’s final bucket was the toughest of them all- a twice bumped, hands in the face, pull-up bank shot.
With every player and spectator’s tension at maximum level, and the clock winding down, Ryan Winters of Regis took a pass down low and went for the winning layup which somehow found a way out of the hoop. Tanner Samson grabbed the rebound, and as regulation expired, Samson’s put-back was swatted away.
Joey Ptasinski got the overtime party started by going to his spot, one dribble to the left of the top of the key, and hitting an and-1 jumper. “I was feeling it more than anything at that moment,” said Ptasinski. “He laid off me so I was like why not, and swoosh. I was happy about that shot.”
Ptasinski scored 10 points in overtime to bring his game high total to 24. “Joey is the best shooter in the state, bar none,” said coach Ken Shaw. And when you can do it like that... He hit some cold blooded shots out there.”
For Regis, the win was their second consecutive overtime championship game. R.J. Demps, the Regis starting point guard from last year’s championship team said, “It’s crazy. It’s their turn. I’m proud. We started it. They finished it, and hopefully they will continue the run next year.”
Checkout the updated brackets.
Contact the writer at csilverman@milehighhoops.com