SUMMIT – Aberdeen Roncalli’s fourth quarter couldn’t quite redeem its first. 

The Cavaliers battled to within one possession late in the game, but were unable to completely dig their way out of an early deficit, falling 37-34 to Tiospa Zina in the Region 1A boys’ basketball tournament Tuesday in Summit.

Roncalli trailed by as many as 11 points at various times throughout the game, struggling to find its shooting touch from the floor.

“We didn’t tell the guys this, but as coaches, we thought it was a game to 40,” said Roncalli coach Dan Gallagher. “And neither team got there. It was one of those games. Both teams were going to play great defense.”

Tiospa Zina didn’t fare that much better offensively, scoring just three field goals in the entire second half – and none in the fourth quarter – but the Wambdi outscored the Cavaliers 15-5 at the free-throw line to stay just out of reach.

“That’s a testament to the guys and how hard they played,” Gallagher said.

The final score harkened back to the first time the two teams played during the regular season. That game was also a defensive throwdown, but one the Cavaliers were able to claim by a 42-36 count. 

Down 11 at the break, the Cavaliers fought back in that second half thanks to that defensive effort.

“We told the guys in the locker room, ‘We’ve been down by bigger before and come back,’” Gallagher said. “It’s going to take one possession at a time.”

Roncalli did have a chance at either a lead or a tie late in the game. Trailing by two, the Cavaliers stole the ball away with 12.4 seconds left and called timeout to set up what could have been a game-winning shot, but a 3-pointer and two put-back efforts missed their marks.

Tiospa Zina hit one of two free throws at the other end with one second remaining, forcing a desperation last-second shot from Roncalli that fell short, leaving the Wambdi with the win.

“The worst part, knowing those guys and how invested they were, they’re going to look back and think, ‘What if,’” Gallagher said. 

Maddox Miller finished with 13 points to lead the way for the Cavaliers, all but three of which came in the second half. Miller had seven of those points in the fourth quarter.

Aiden Fisher added eight points, and Caden Shelton and Jayden Munroe had four each.

Storm Sierra led the Wambdi with 11 points. Reandre Greeley had nine and Mike Smith finished with six.

The loss wraps up Roncalli’s season at 9-12 and marks the final games for three Cavalier seniors, Munroe, Maddox May and Thomas Griffin.

“We’re going to miss those seniors,” Gallagher said. “They gave everything they had.”

ABERDEEN RONCALLI (9-12): Maddox Miller 5 1-2 13, Caden Shelton 2 0-0 4, Aiden Fisher 2 3-4 8, Jayden Munroe 2 0-0 4, Maddox May 1 0-0 2, Darwin Gambler 0 1-2 1, Zane Backous 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 5-8 34.

TIOSPA ZINA (11-9): Tate Never Misses A Shot 0 3-4 3, Mike Smith 1 4-6 6, Reandre Greeley 3 1-2 9, Nate Thompson 1 1-3 4, Storm Sierra 3 4-5 11, Ashden Sierra 1 2-3 4. Totals 9 15-23 37.

Aberdeen Roncalli 7 12 23 34

Tiospa Zina 14 23 32 37

3-pt field goals – Miller 2, Fisher; Greeley 2, Thompson, S. Sierra. Total fouls – Aberdeen Roncalli 20; Tiospa Zina 17.