By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

STAYTON, Ore.—  The 2A Regis Boys Basketball challenged their 4A North Marion opponent Wednesday afternoon at home as they rallied from a early deficit to eventually take a one-point lead entering the fourth as the Rams took advantage of the mental errors of the Huskies.

Regis Head Coach Tony Miller credits this mental toughness, this rally, back to him challenging his team Tuesday night in their 51-37 loss to Blanchet Catholic as they went out to the fourth quarter.

“I think it started there in the first quarter,” he starts.  “They came out and got to us a little bit and we were down 10,12 early…they got through it and it showed a lot of mental toughness, which was something I questioned them on after last night on where our mental toughness was.

“And for them to be able to come out and do those things and execute and grind out some offensive things, realizing that it’s not a one man show.  Everyone needs to be involved and work the offense the way we did.  I’m really pleased it about that and that’s a lot on them.”135

Though Grant Henry hit a three to give North Marion a two-point lead and Tanner Scanlan gave the Huskies a four-point lead, the Rams Brendon Woodcock drained a three to bring Regis to within one of North with 4:20 left in the game.

The Huskies Hunter Martin put North up three with a lay-up and soon enough North Marion was up six with 3:08 left as Martin and Trevor Ensign used their height and length to interrupt the Rams mojo as they found their groove in the fourth quarter.

“We seem to come out in the fourth quarter with a lot of intensity and we keep it up and the coaches do a good job motivating us to put teams away when we need it most,” said Ensign, who scored a North leading 19 points in the game.

But Ensgin admits that Regis challenged them as Bryce Piete cut their six point lead to three with a three in ways that they can improve on moving forward.

“There a tough team, there pushing, they’re shoving, they’re diving for balls,” said Ensign. “And that’s something we have to get use to.  Sometimes we are a little relax and we have to be up there, we have to be fighting for everything.  We have to get every, single ball out there.”

But that would be the closest the Rams would get to the Huskies as North pulled away for the 57-48 victory.

Considering the late start they had and the lack of practice due to the weather, Miller is chalking this game up as a victory.

“I told the guys when we walked in there, it won’t show up in the win-loss column, but tonight’s a ‘W’ for us,” “Where we were less than 24 hours ago and the issues we were having and the way we were playing, to bounce back to play against a very quality team in North Marion.

“To do that tonight, I’m happy as I can be.  I’ve been telling the guys all season, that stepping, stepping, stepping, we have to get on the right track…we needed to bounce back and the guys came together and bounced back.”

Regis will be hosting Harrisburg Friday while the Huskies will be traveling to the Sisters Tournament Wednesday.

North Scorers (Top 3)- Ensign-19.  Martin-16. Henry, Grant-12.  Regis (Top 3)-  Piete-21.  Woodcock-8.    Kelley-7.  Logan-7.