DAYTON — Last summer, Russia assistant coach Spencer Cordonnier and head coach Dave Borchers had optimistic conversations with each other as the team played well in shootouts and offseason workouts.

After three years’ worth of building, the duo thought the Raiders were back in top shape.

“Dave and I talked about it, and said, ‘I think we’ve got it.’ These kids are buying in,’” Cordonnier said. “They were buying into the dog mentality and being dogs. We were anticipating a very special year. That’s the way it has worked out, though not as we wanted it to be.”

It didn’t happen as anyone wanted; in October, Borchers was hit by a driver and died due to injuries about a week later, less than two weeks prior to the start of practice.

Cordonnier has taken over the program on an interim role this year, but he says Borchers is the main architect behind this season’s success.

Borchers’ builders have done a tremendous job constructing a phenomenal season, and they pushed the campaign to a new height on Wednesday.

Russia took control in the second quarter, fought off Springfield Catholic Central’s comeback tries and pulled away late to a 70-58 victory in a Division IV district final at University of Dayton Arena.

It’s the first district championship since 2018 for the Raiders.

“It feels great, knowing that all year, we’ve worked hard, both in an out of practice, leaving it all on the floor” Russia sophomore forward Braylon Cordonnier said. “We’re happy that’s the result we’ve got.”

Russia finished 7-16 three years ago, 11-14 two years ago and 15-10 last year. The Raiders, which were ranked No. 6 in the final state Associated Press D-IV poll, improved to 23-3 with Wednesday’s win.

Senior guard Xavier Phlipot hoisted the district championship trophy after the victory, with senior guard Zane Shappie to his left. Both were varsity players as freshmen.

“They had to endure some not very fun nights,” Spencer Cordonnier said. “Dave and I continued to talk to those two and said, ‘We’re going to get there, we’re going to get there. We’re going to come together, it’s just going to take some time.’ We weathered a storm for a couple of years where we had to rebuild and play some younger players.

“That experience, and getting that time, has helped them tremendously, and helped everybody. Even last year, we were still playing two sophomores and a freshman a lot.”

Braylon Cordonnier, who is Spencer’s son, led the squad with 22 points on Wednesday and had two steals. Benjamin York, a sophomore forward, added 17 points and brought down five rebounds.

The duo made a combined 12-of-19 shots, most of which were in the post. They also drew fouls; Cordonnier made 5-of-6 free-throw attempts while York made 7-of-8.

Catholic Central senior forward Tyler Galluch, who was recently named Div. IV Southwest district co-player of the year, led the squad with 20 points and brought down seven rebounds.

“He was big, built strong, and kind of did whatever he wanted to,” Braylon Cordonnier said.

But the Raiders always had an answer.

Catholic Central led 21-18 in the second quarter when Galluch picked up his second foul and went to the bench. The Raiders scored nine straight points and led the rest of the way.

Russia led 32-27 at halftime. The Irish pulled within three midway through in the third, but the Raiders finished on a 6-2 run to take a 45-38 lead by the end of the third.

Russia quickly extended its lead and led by at least seven the rest of the way. Catholic Central hit a few late 3’s to stay close, but the Raiders pulled away late at the free-throw line. Russia made 25-of-37 foul attempts on the night, including 15-of-19 in the fourth quarter.

The Raiders’ foul shot shooting matched their effectiveness on defense. They were capitalize on turnovers, including in the second half. The Fighting Irish finished with 16 turnovers, which Russia scored 18 points on.

“We have so many guys who come off the bench, and we can stay fresh,” York, who plays off the bench, said.

Brayden Monnin scored 10 points and had five rebounds for the Raiders, while Hayden Quinter scored seven points and had eight rebounds. Shappie added seven points.

Senior forward Cole Ray added 17 points and had seven rebounds for the Irish, which finish 17-9.

Russia advances to face Troy Christian, which beat Riverview East 58-32 in the second D-IV district final on Tuesday in Dayton. If victorious against the Eagles on Tuesday at Kettering Fairmont’s Trent Arena, the Raiders will advance to a regional final next Friday, with a state berth on the line.

“Coach always says offense wins games, but defense wins championships,” York said. “We’ve got to go out there and keep playing hard on defense like we usually do.”

Spencer Cordonnier was the team’s coach in 2018, the last time it played in a regional game. He took over the program in 2015 after the retirement of longtime coach Paul Bremigan, who is now the school’s girls basketball coach.

Cordonnier resigned in 2018 and became an assistant under Borchers, who was preparing to enter his fifth season at the helm.

Cordonnier, who is being helped this year by former longtime Russia assistant Brad Francis, has insisted on being introduced as an interim coach; he has had public address announcers introduce Borchers as head coach this season.

“I’m at an interim level,” Cordonnier, who was recently named Southwest district D-IV coach of the year, said. “Dave’s our head coach. That’s the way we wanted it from day one. Dave’s our head coach for this year. I’m at an interim level and will be fired at the end of the year.

“I wouldn’t be able to do this without (Francis) this year. After the season we’ll talk about it and see how we move forward. For now, Dave is still our head coach and I’m the interim coach. That’s what we’ve rolled with. We’re not ready to go home yet.”

Instead of cutting down the net himself, as is traditional for the head coach to do, Cordonnier had Borchers’ brother Doug come down to the court following the postgame celebration for the honor. Doug Borchers cut down the net, pointed to nearby family members, then waved the net for all the Raiders’ fans.

It’s one of many times the program has involved Borchers’ family this year.

“There has been a lot of emotions at a lot of different times,” Spencer Cordonnier said. “They (the Borchers family) have been very supportive of us doing this. We just want to continue to honor him. That’s what we have to do.

“He’s looking down on us, and he’s probably wearing his blue and gold, cheering away, with a vein popping out of his head.

“It’s still a very, very sad situation, and we’ve got to try to remember him any time we can, and any way we can. We lost a dear friend, and these kids, it’s probably the closest person these kids have lost to them, for 90 percent of them.

“… It hasn’t been easy. They get emotional like we do, still to this day, and hopefully for the rest of their lives, because he meant a lot to them.”

Tuesday’s regional semifinal won’t be the first time Russia and Troy Christian have played this year. The Raiders beat the Eagles 73-46 in a nonconference game on Dec. 17 in Russia.

Russia’s jerseys have black patches near the left shoulder with, “Coach,” printed in white lettering in memory of Borchers. Braylon Cordonnier said his father reminds the team of the patch before every game.

“Every time in the huddle before we play, Coach always points to that spot (on our jerseys),” Cordonnier said. “That’s what every game is for.”

Contact Bryant Billing at (937) 538-4818, or follow @SidneyOHSports on Twitter and @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook.