DENVER – You want toughness?
MSU Denver seniors Enrique Cortes Zotes and
Jaryn Taylor (Yucaipa, Calif./Yucaipa) have it covered.
Both overcame summer back surgeries in order to play their final seasons for the Roadrunners.
Grueling rehabilitation workouts led into preseason practices when both were still on the mend and not yet 100 percent. They've had bumps and bruises and setbacks along the way.
Now, in Friday's 7:30 p.m. regular-season finale against Chadron State, they'll play their final home games at the Auraria Event Center.
"They've had tough years physically," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach
Michael Bahl said. "They both had pretty significant surgeries in the offseason that are hard to come back from, let alone come back as quickly as they both did, so I commend them for that. It goes to show had badly they wanted to be a part of this.
"Their impact is felt day-to-day, leading by example. That's something our young guys can look at and emulate. Injuries are part of the game. Adversity is part of the game. But both of those guys have come a long way, and I'm proud of them."
As usual, Senior Night brings a mix of emotions for both.
"It's supposed to be a fun day," Cortes Zotes said. "It makes me think back to when I was a freshman, and the seniors who were here then. Now they are doing great things, playing overseas or they have jobs. It's exciting, but it's also said. I'm sad to leave here, but I'm ready to start a new part of my life."
Said Taylor: "It went by fast. It's been a really cool journey. It's just crazy how fast two years can be.
"He (Bahl) put his trust in a junior college player from California to come in and produce. I feel like I did a pretty good job of holding my own."
The 6-foot-3 Cortes Zotes is a four-year member of the program who has 592 points, 421 rebounds and 189 assists while appearing in 108 games, 73 of them starts.
"He's a defender and a good rebounder, and he's really taken on those roles this year," Bahl said. "And there are two or three games that he just won for us, at Pueblo on Saturday (12 points and five rebounds in 14 minutes) and against Texas A&M-Commerce (16 points, 10 rebounds) in November."
The 6-7 Taylor came to the Roadrunners as a junior college transfer last season and was the team's leading returning scorer after averaging 10.6 points per game last year. He started this season slowly (Cortes Zotes had his surgery two months earlier), but has been a solid scorer in a reserve role while averaging 6.4 points. For his career he has 455 points and 280 rebounds.
"He was one of the first kids I called and he's my first recruit," said Bahl, finishing his second season as the head coach. "We were fortunate that he was available late. He came with a background of being able to put the ball in the hole, and he's done that for us.
"He's given us some punch off the bench, not just scoring but rebounding, too."
Both players are interested in potentially continuing their playing careers professionally.
"I've got to take care of my body – I'm getting older," said Cortes Zotes, a hospitality major. "Maybe I'll get my master's, or maybe I'll start working right away."
Said Taylor, who is majoring in business entrepreneurship with a minor in nutrition: "I'd love to play overseas. My ultimate goal is to play as long as I can – as long as my back is doing OK, I want to keep playing. If not, one day I'd like to start my own business."
Taylor started nearly every game last year, while Cortes has started most of his career and most of the season. They'll both be in the lineup against Chadron State in the traditional Senior Night start.
"And it's not it's a gimme start, either," Bahl said. "They've both played well for us."
They haven't been able to play pain-free, but that's part of the game sometimes.
"I've played through pain because I've wanted to," Cortes Zotes said. "I've wanted to help the team."
Said Taylor: "It was worth it. I've been pushing through it. It's my last season, so I've given it my all."
