Regis Stalls Out Rock Canyon
The Rock Canyon Jaguars missed out on taking a commanding lead in the race for the Continental League title Saturday night, losing to the Regis Jesuit Raiders 57-47 at Guy Gibbs Gymnasium on the Regis Campus.
The Jaguar offense stalled in the first quarter unable to get any thing to go into the basket. After the first basket of the methodical game was scored by senior guard Payton Berman with 4:35 to play in the quarter the Jaguars wouldn’t score again until a Sam Masten three pointer with less than minute remaining in the quarter. Rock Canyon failed to convert off offensive rebounds most of the night. Meanwhile, what was falling was falling for Regis in the first quarter especially for senior guard Michael Wambsganss who scored 8 of the Raiders 14 points in the quarter. The Raider used various defenses but mainly a half court zone to force the Jaguars to take jump shots. It proved effective as the Raiders led 14-5 at the end of the first quarter.
Both teams struggled in the second quarter to score any points. Rock Canyon could make a three pointer and Regis struggled to not turn the ball over or get many offensive rebounds.
Rock Canyon started out the third quarter trail 19-12 and quickly scored 0n a 5-2 run to get with in four points of the Raiders 21-17. Again points were hard to come by for either team on the third quarter. Both teams rotated through various defenses keep each other off balance and unable to find a groove offensively. Whenever the jaguars got with in four points a time out would be called and the Raiders would get the ball to senior forward Geoff Kelly and he would get a basket as shown above. Rock Canyon was able to pull with in 28-24 after junior guard Colin Rardin hit a three pointer with less than 30 seconds left in the quarter. It was Rardin’s third three pointer of the night.
The Raiders started with a Kelly lay up and a long three pointer from Wambsganss to begin the fourth quarter and led 33-24 with 6:30 to play in the game. Rock Canyon tried to press Regis but the Raiders ran a textbook press break with resulted in another Kelly layup. With 4:40 left in the game the Raiders began to play keep away. In order for the Jaguars to have a chance to cut into the lead they would have to put Regis at the free-throw line. And they did. The Raiders shot 26 free throws in the final 3:30 of the game. The Raiders went on to make 20 of the 26 free throws . The misses came at vital times though and allowed the Jaguars to pull with 51-47 with 25 seconds left after Rock Canyon senior Isaac Hirsch scored his 12th point in the quarter on a tough lay up. Both Hirsch and Masten who scored seven points in the quarter finally were able to get shots to fall. But that would be the last time the Jaguars would score and Wambsganss would make the next six free throws to ice the game.
57-47 Regis Jesuit victory makes a mess atop of the Continental League which currently has a three way tie for first place. Rock Canyon still has to face Legend this coming Tuesday. Regis still has to play Mountain Vista and Ponderosa, while ThunderRidge has Chaparral and Mountain Vista in this last week of the regular season. The Continental is far from being settled.
Double Digit Scorers
Regis Jesuit
Wambsganss – 23
Kelly – 15
Rock Canyon
Hirsch – 12
Rardin – 12
Masten – 19
