Roeper’s Tournament Run Ends With 50-32 Loss to Detroit Westside Christian

The boys varsity basketball team’s surprising run through the Class D tournament ended Monday night with a 50-32 loss to Detroit Westside Christian in the regional semifinals.

After winning the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference and districts last season, the Roughriders finished under .500 (8-16) for only the second time in coach Ernie Righetti’s 27-year run as head coach at the school.

“It was kind of tough, we won 22 games last year,” Righetti said. “For these kids to have that kind of pressure on them cost a little bit during the season.”

Nine seniors graduated from last year’s team and this year, Righetti only had three seniors on the squad. Righetti needed to rely on young players like sophomores Austin Farrow and Garrett House to contribute big minutes all season.

“We have two 10th graders (who) are learning every game,” Righetti said. “We knew experience was going to be a factor (this season).”

The state tournament was a chance to reset the season and the Roughriders took advantage. They breezed through their district until the finals and beat a tough Detroit City team 45-39 to advance to regionals.

“There was a point where we had a lot of close games and we were getting frustrated,” Righetti said. “Just to have an attitude to come out and refresh yourself (in the tournament) — just to play hard — was a real symbol to our character.” 

On Monday, the young Roeper team kept the semifinals close for a half and even maintained a lead over the Warriors for much of the second quarter. A 7-0 run to start the second put the Roughriders ahead 14-11. House scored four points in the first minute to bring the home crowd to their feet.

The problem for the Roughriders was after the scoring burst, they couldn’t find much offense for the rest of the game. The team had a nearly eight-minute scoring drought from the second quarter through two minutes into the third.

Righetti called a timeout at the top of the third and laid into his players for being tentative and sloppy.

“They put a lot of pressure on is,” Righetti said. “We didn’t execute like we had been and that was the big problem, just getting into (the offense).”

The Warriors would go on to outscore Roeper 18-10 in the third quarter and extended a four point lead to 11 by the end of the quarter. During that time, Detroit Westside’s Robert Davis hit a 3-pointer, Deon Taylor dunked a tip-in off a miss and Xavier Cross had a fastbreak layup all in the span of two minutes to help break the game open for the Warriors. 

On the Roeper side, Duriajaiye Lewis and Jack Gorland accounted for nearly two-thirds of the Roughriders offense. Both players finished with 10 points.

Still, Righetti said he's proud of his team and wishes Detroit Westside Christian only the best. In fact, if Detroit Westside goes on to win the Class D tournament next week, it may even inspire Roeper next year.

“I give them a lot of credit,” Righetti said. “Hopefully (Detroit Westside) will go on and I can say hey, 'I lost to the state champs.'”