Dream Team Remains Undefeated in Intramural Basketball

James Ortiz, Staff Photographer 

Regis University’s Intramural Basketball team, aptly named the “Dream Team” remains undefeated in the tournament. Last week, the Dream Team went up against the Desmet Killas, and won by a blowout score. Their continued success shows that the players in the team live up to their name. 

The game begins. Photo by James Ortiz

Players watch as the ball soars towards the net. Photo by James Ortiz

Defense tries to block an incoming score. Photo by James Ortiz

Both teams watch as a basket is made. Photo by James Ortiz

Dream Team Snatches Victory in a Close Intramural Basketball Game

James Ortiz, Staff Photographer 

On March 13th, 2025, two fearless teams met face to face for an intense basketball game. In the Regis Intramural Sports Program, opposing teams known as  “Dream Team” and “Sacramento” competed ferociously for victory. After an exciting game of ups and downs, the Dream Team snatched victory with a score of 59-58. One point marked the Dream Team’s victory, showing the balance of the game and the skill of the players. 

The game takes place in Regis University’s Fieldhouse. Photo by James Ortiz

The game begins. Photo by James Ortiz

Both teams give the game their all. Photo by James Ortiz

Basketball Season Recap

By: Hannah Ury, Staff Writer

The men’s basketball season recently drew to a close, and although people were not allowed to watch the games live, there was still plenty of action to be seen on the court. Although their record of 6-10 was a bit underwhelming, they put together a strong season defensively and certainly look to be promising in years to come. 

There were some struggles with shooting, as the Rangers trailed their opponents in all statistical categories for the season overall. Rebounding was also a weak point, and it is clear that a strong forward would significantly improve the team. Freshman forward Alex Cartwright, who rebounded well and is on the right track to becoming a high-scorer, should be a step in the right direction for the team. 

Although there were some offensive struggles throughout the season, the team played consistent, strong defense. The Rangers had almost twice as many steals per game as their opponents, and scored well on turnovers. Not only did they score well on turnovers, but Regis was able to limit their own turnovers as well, as turnovers were consistently low throughout the season. 

Point guard Brian Dawson had a very strong season and eclipsed 1000 points in his tenure at Regis, leading the team in free throws, steals, and scoring with 327 points scored, surpassing the second highest scorer by 164 points. His strong performance this season earned him 2 RMAC Offensive Player of the Week awards, as well as All-RMAC First Team honors. This is Dawson’s last year with the Rangers, and his presence on and off the court will surely be missed. The future looks bright for the team as recruitment for the 2021-2022 season has already begun. 

Mens Basketball Sweeps the Court

By: Amy Reglin, Staff Photographer

The Regis men’s basketball team continued their season with the home opener against Stanislaus State on November 17 in their home gym. The Rangers held of Stanislaus State for a 91-78 victory. This Saturday, December 1, the Regis Rangers basketball team matches up against Colorado Christian in Lakewood. On the 7 and 8 of December, they play at home against Metro State University and Chadron State College. Be sure to grab your Regis gear and hit the bleachers for a wildly entertaining time!

Regis Rangers Men's Basketball update

(Photo courtesy of Matt Daniels)

By: Luke Cahill, Staff Reporter

Once again, the Regis men’s basketball team has found themselves in a perfect position to succeed in this year’s playoffs. Sitting at 20-5 overall should put the team in a nice ranking position so that they won’t have to face a tough team until the later rounds. In fact, since Winter break the Rangers have gone 8-1.

The team’s success has come from all across the roster, but a few players have been extremely instrumental in the team's recent victories. Leading the Rangers is Dexter Sienko who earned his second RMAC defensive player of the week award this past week. Sienko is also averaging a smooth 15 points and 5 rebounds per game. Sophomore Christian Little has also had a strong season averaging 14 ppg and 5 rebounds.

If you haven’t been able to see the Rangers play yet, it is not too late! The Rangers will close out their season with three straight home games in the evening on the 17th,23rd, and 24th. These games should be a nice warm-up for the playoffs that begin on the 28th of this month.

Last 3 games scores:
93-88 Victory over UC-Colorado Springs
82-79 Victory over Metro
73-67 Victory over Chadron State

Next 3 games dates:
February 17: vs Westminster College (Fieldhouse)
February 23: South Dakota School of mines and technology (Fieldhouse)
February 24: Black Hills State University (Fieldhouse)

Humans of Regis: Lonnie Porter

(Photo courtesy of ChaunceyBillups.org)

By: Samantha Jewell, Humans Editor

What brought you to Regis University?

Oh boy, that is a long story. I went to Adams State University on a basketball scholarship and to Denver on a weekend. Well, first of all, my buddies told me that Denver was right up the highway and I am thinking that it was about forty miles away. And I will tell you exactly how far away it is, 226 miles up the highway. So I said, “oh, man! 226 miles and I finally got to Denver and it was worth it! It was worth the wait. It was beautiful and I fell in love with it. The quality of life here is so much different than it is in the Midwest. I came here and had a good time! Every weekend that I could I would come up to Denver. I would play on a Saturday night and in Alamosa, there is not a lot to do so I just remember that after a basketball game we would play and finish the game at a quarter to 9 and around 9:15 we would be in Denver. The quality of life in Denver just got me.

So I was working as an assistant basketball coach at the University of Nebraska simply because when I graduated I went to work here in Denver and finally I became a head basketball coach and Manuel High School and we were successful. We won the State Championship and so I was asked to come to The University of Nebraska as an assistant coach and went and coached there but I always wanted to get back to Denver. When this job came open I applied for it in the Spring of 1977. I had the intentions that I was going to be here and move on and be a head basketball coach at the D1 level and the longer I stayed the more I enjoyed and loved it here at Regis not only being in Denver but here at Regis. Yes, I did have opportunities to leave and take head coaching jobs but I did not want to stay in the places where those jobs were. I did not want to live there and bring my family up in those environments. So I passed on that. You look up and all of these years have passed. I retired from basketball and I think this is my 42 year at Regis University. So that is the short of it.

Can you tell us about the Porter – Billups Leadership Academy?

I started the Academy in 1996. My daughter, Nacasa Granda and I it was the three of us. The two of them did the teaching and there were 22 kids and I did the grunt work. Naturally, I was in charge of discipline, driving the bus, picking the kids up, dropping them off at campus. One of the misnomers of the Academy is that people think that is has something to do with basketball because of Chauncey and myself. It has nothing to do with sports it is all academics. I started the academy simply because some of my basketball players were missing some of the life skills. I am talking about the skills that are not taught in the classroom. I am talking about how to apply for a job, how to eat a 5/6 course meal, respect for women. You teach that and now in these days and times it is really a hot topic and everyone should familiarize themselves with these topics, especially men. Just a lot of small things about how to live your life as a man.

Our academy is coed so what we do is we find little kids when they are 7/8 years old who have leadership skills and we get the question, “how do you know that they have leadership skills?” All you have to do is go into a classroom and kids gravitate to them. Even at 5 years old, kids gravitate to the leaders. What you have to do is get your hands on the leaders and take those traits and skills and turn them into something positive and lead in a positive direction. We started 

22 years ago and a guy gave me $7,500 to start with and now it takes about a million dollars a year. It has grown from 22 kids to 190. 27 kids have graduated from Regis University and 14 kids who are currently attending Regis University.

This has been a labor of love because we have had to raise all of the funds for it to be successful and to pay for all of these kids. We started with 3 people on staff now we have only one full-time person on staff, Lisa Hamilton and this is the first year that she is full time. It has been a long road but it is getting better and better. There are 26 people that are on staff that works in the summer. To see our kids graduate and become who they make every day worth it. If they are successful and do what they are supposed to, graduate and apply to Regis then we raise the money to pay for their college education. I just love it. By this time next year, we will have two doctors. Some of the kids don’t come to Regis, we have one graduating this spring graduating from Columbia, Georgetown they go all over but we just pay for the ones that go to Regis. It is very diverse, we are probably about 58% women and the rest male. When you say PBLA and you say, Lonnie and Chauncey, you think it is going to be primarily male but that isn’t the case. You can change lives easier when you get kids at a tender age.

I would like to have them when they graduate from kindergarten and keep them for half a day. Getting a kid on a college campus and for them to have that experience. Our kids come here and they see the other kids and they are not intimidated. Because they have been over here since they were 7 and 8 years old. They know where everything is and for some of them, it is a different experience. On the whole, it is very positive. That goes back to my basketball players, it is hard to change kids, let’s say a junior college transfer is 20/21 years old, it is hard to change them. Let’s say while talking to someone, looking them in the eye, teaching them the discipline that they should have a firm handshake, all of those things are what we teach, plus we go through a curriculum a rigorous three-week curriculum. There is a life skills class and a leadership class as well because first and foremost that is the most important and paramount. I am doing what I am supposed to do. I am doing what is important someone did it for me so I am paying it forward. If everyone could do that for their fellow man our world would be in a much better place. I assure you that. When they graduate we just ask them one thing: when they get out in life and they become successful that they do what we did for them for someone else.

What is your favorite Jesuit value?

Men and Women in Service to Others, without a doubt. Someone asked me in a, “how do you want to be remembered?” The accolades and the trophies when it is all said and done none of that matters. Who was the man? What kind of person was he? Who was he? All of that stuff you cannot take it with you and even now it is in a closet somewhere. Point specific the person said, “when your day has come and gone, how do you want to be remembered?” I answered, “I want people to say that he was a good man and that he tried to help his fellow man.”

Is there anything else that you would like the Regis community to know?

I want to invite the Regis community to just do a drive by and come and visit the campus when these kids are here during the summer and it will bring you tears of joy when you see all of them together. I think that would be my biggest point. Talk to them and have lunch with them and see who they are and where they are from and why they are here on the Regis Camus. This is a great learning experience for them. Like I mentioned it is very diverse and like for me I had never stepped foot on a college campus until I went to college on my first day when I registered and the exposure is what these kids need. I was pushed by a gentleman named Dr. Tom Reynolds, he said, “Coach have you ever thought about doing an academic camp?” (I had done basketball camps) I said, “I had always wanted to be a principal if I wasn’t a coach.” I am just so happy that I ended up at Regis, they gave me an opportunity to take an idea 20 some years ago and run with it. There are not many colleges that will let you do that especially with using academia and athletics because they are usually clashing. It has never been like that for me here. Faculty and staff have always helped us. That is why 94% of my basketball players have graduated and that is what I push for. That is who I am. I thought God had sent me here to win a lot of basketball games and little did I know that he had another plan for me.

If you would like to learn more about what Coach Lonnie Porter is doing with the Porter Billups Leadership Academy visit: https://www.porter-billups.org/ and http://www.regis.edu/About-Regis-University/Centers-and-Institutes/Porter-Billups-Leadership-Academy.aspx