Make that resilient with a capital ‘R.’ Maybe even two ‘Rs.’

Without one of its starters and down and apparently out a couple of times, Cedar Rapids Jefferson perservered and simply outlasted Cedar Rapids Washington, 58-50, in a double-overtime thriller last night at Jefferson.

Consider this one to be well, well earned for the Class 4A sixth-ranked J-Hawks (12-2, 8-2 in the Mississippi Valley Conference’s Valley Division).

Cedar Rapids Jefferson's Alec Saunders and Wesley Washpun of Cedar Rapids Washington reach for a rebound during a game at Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids on Friday, January 28, 2011. (Cliff Jette/Sourcemedia Group)

“People stepped up great,” said Jeff’s Jarrod Uthoff. “It was just an incredible effort by everybody. If the guys wouldn’t have stepped up when TO got hurt, we wouldn’t be in the situation we’re in.”

“TO” isn’t Terrell Owens, in this case. It’s junior forward Taylor Olson, who was able to play only spare minutes, none in the second half, because of a back injury incurred in a win Tuesday night at Dubuque Wahlert.

You thought that would be the thing that would give Washington (9-5, 7-3 Mississippi Division) its seventh straight win over its longtime rival. But you thought wrong.

The Warriors had a four-point lead in the final minute of regulation, but guard Tyler Meiborg scored on a pair of driving baskets to tie it and send it to OT, 38-38. Washington had a four-point lead in overtime, only to have Jefferson rally and go ahead on a 3-pointer by Ky Kramer.

Wes Washpun of Wash had to make a free throw with 20 seconds left to send it to another four minutes. That’s when Jefferson took over, scoring its last eight points at the free-throw line.

“Losing TO for this game was tough,” said Meiborg, who finished with 13 points. ”We thought we might have him for a little bit, but he just couldn’t go any more. We all had to step up in the second half, and we did it. We made big shots and ended up winning.”

“It would have been better if the guys would have handled some situations a little bit smarter,” said Jeff Coach Stu Ordman. ”But they’re resilient, and they have great spirit … They have a great belief in themselves.”

Wisconsin recruit Uthoff went over 1,000 points for his Jeff career in a 24-point night. Iowa recruit Josh Oglesby had 23 points and Wes Washpun 20 for Washington, which had only four people score.

Oglesby rallied his club from an 18-13 halftime deficit with a barrage of barrage of second-half buckets but was unable to get anything going in the second OT, due in part to the man-to-man defense provided by Uthoff. Wash also missed four consecutive free throws that helped Jefferson take a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

Oglesby appeared to be fouled on an airballed 3-point attempt with 20 seconds left and Jefferson ahead, 53-48, but nothing was called. An exasperated Wash Coach Brad Metzger walked onto the floor to argue the no call and was given a technical foul.

Here is the game boxscore:

AT C.R. JEFFERSON

C.R. WASHINGTON (50): Sean Bredl 1-2 2-6 4, Cybryan Moa 0-7 1-1 3, Josh Oglesby 8-19 4-6 23, Wes Washpun 5-12 9-14 20, Alex Carr 0-1 0-0 0, McCauley Todd 0-0 0-0 90, Trenton Hoekstra 0-0 0-0 0, David Tann 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-41 16-27 50.

C.R. JEFFERSON (58): Jarrod Uthoff 6-124 9-12 24, Alec Saunders 2-7 2-2 7, Taylor Olson 0-0 0-0 0, Ky Kramer 3-10 2-2 13, Tyler Meiborg 5-14 2-4 13, Alec Brown 0-1 0-0 0, Alex Denny 1-1 1-2 3, Tyler Hemphill 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-47 16-22 58.

Halftime — Jefferson 18, Washington 13. End of regulation — Washington 38, Jefferson 38. End of first overtime — Washington 46, Jefferson 46. 3-point goals — Washington 4-14 (Moa 0-5, Oglesby 3-8, Washpun 1-1), Jefferson 8-18 (Uthoff 3-4, Saunders 1-3, Kramer 3-7, Meiborg 1-4). Rebounds — Washington 27 (Oglesby 10), Jefferson 34 (Saunders 11). Total fouls — Washington 21, Jefferson 22. Fouled out — Carr, Bredl. Turnovers — Washington 7, Jefferson 12.

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