Coach Brian Taylor '04 Reflects on Winning Basketball Championship

The Regis Freshmen Basketball team concluded a dream season with a 70–56 victory over All Hallows in the "A" Division Freshmen championship game earlier this year. "Finishing the season with a championship has been overwhelming," said freshmen coach Brian Taylor '04. "The kids were all really happy that their hard work during the season paid off, as very early on in the year we realized we had the potential for a special season."

That potential proved its worth as the team dominated the competition throughout the 2012-13 season. The team finished the season with a 22-3 overall record, boasting a 16-1 record in league play. That dominance earned the Raiders the #1 overall seed in the CHSAA Freshmen "A" Division playoffs. Regis faced All Hallows in the championship game, a team they had narrowly defeated twice during the regular season: a five point victory in the first game of the year and a one point nail-biter at home in the last game of the regular season.

The championship season completes Coach Taylor's fifth year coaching at Regis, four of which have been at the helm of the Freshmen team. Taylor, a 2004 graduate of Regis, says the title game mirrored the team's effort throughout the season. "We were in control from start to finish. But the last few minutes seemed to last a lifetime, even though our lead was comfortable. It was our team's discipline, toughness, and preparedness that won out and wore them down."

For Regis, this was the first Freshmen Championship in the CHSAA "A" Division since 2007. Taylor added, "This season was an incredible joy for me as a coach. I had an opportunity to lead an amazing and talented group of student athletes, and I am proud they were able to finish the season with a win."

This article first appeared in the Spring 2013 issue of the Regis Alumni News Magazine.