Following a 64-61 loss to district rival Jesuit (24-5) in the district championship game on Feb. 5, Robinson (17-10) wanted another shot at the Tigers. After a victory over Sebring in the regional quarterfinals last Thursday, the Knights got their chance in the regional semifinals.

In one final showdown with Jesuit, Robinson came up just short, falling by a score of 45-41.

“We played with a lot of heart. We fought our way back, we were just a couple plays short here or there,” Robinson head coach Steve Smith said. “You’ve got to give Jesuit credit; they made the plays and we didn’t.”

The first half featured a combination of offensive struggles and good defense on both sides. The Knights trailed by five at one point in the second quarter before fighting back to cut the Jesuit lead to 16-15 at halftime.

Both offenses picked up the pace in the second half, with the Tigers getting out to a 27-19 lead late in the third quarter after an 11-1 run. The teams fought back and forth throughout the rest of the game as Jesuit clung to its lead until the Knights tied the game at 41 with one minute left. On the next possession, Will Anderson (’17) put the Tigers ahead for good, leaving just 38 seconds left on the clock. By the time those 38 seconds ticked away, the Knights found themselves on the wrong side of a close game once again.

Francisco Mediavilla (’16) led Robinson in scoring with 13 points while Iyan Mitchell (’16) added 12.

The loss ends a memorable season for the Knights, who picked up their first win over Plant since 2012 just two days before beating Jesuit for the first time since 2006. The team reached the 17-win mark for the third consecutive season.

“It’s tough right now,” Smith said. “In due time, we’ll look back and I’m very proud of these guys. We played hard, we made a great playoff run and they have a lot to be proud about.”