The James Irwin Jaguars waltzed into their match on Saturday with eight straight wins but they left with nine. They secured a 60-54 W over Colorado Springs Christian. Given James Irwin's advantage in MaxPreps' Colorado basketball rankings (they are ranked 81st, while Colorado Springs Christian is ranked 251st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
James Irwin's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Malik Willis, who dropped a double-double on 19 points and 16 rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Willis has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Roman Burnside, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 15 rebounds.
Several Lions players turned in solid performances, despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Jace Velasquez, who scored nine points along with 14 rebounds and four blocks. That's the first time this season that Velasquez posted two or more blocks. Miguel Cota-cordova was another key contributor, scoring 14 points along with five assists and five rebounds.
Even though they lost, Colorado Springs Christian smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
James Irwin's win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-2. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 76.8 points per game. As for Colorado Springs Christian, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 2-9.
James Irwin will be playing in front of their home fans against Rye at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. As for Colorado Springs Christian, they will head out on the road to square off against Buena Vista at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
