Jesuit used a monstrous, 23-2 run in the first half to upend Mesquite, 62-37, in Tuesday's season-opener at Walsh Gymnasium.
 
The Rangers (1-0) shot 40.9 percent from the floor and 42.1 percent behind the arc, led by 11 points apiece by junior Marcus Hill and sophomore Max Abmas, who made his varsity debut in the victory. Junior Michael Jankovich, who secured Dallas Morning News Preseason All-Area Honorable Mention honors earlier this month, buried a pair of three-pointers to finish with 10 points.
 
Racking up 25 points off of 20 Mesquite turnovers, Jesuit out-rebounded the Skeeters (0-1), 29-28, anchored by a team-high five boards from senior Jeff Grimes. Junior Reid Hatzmann logged a three-assist performance, while senior Mitch Prendergast closed out the game with six points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal.
 
After a low-scoring start to the game, Jesuit took the lead with a pair of free throws by Hill with 4:57 left in the first. Hill's free throws contributed to a 23-2 run that sparked the Rangers to a 23-6 lead with 3:21 remaining in the half. Abmas scored nine of the team's 23 points during that stretch, while Jesuit buried five three-pointers, forcing seven Mesquite turnovers. Hill scored a fast break layup with nine seconds left in the half to hand the Blue and Gold a 31-12 lead at the break.
 
In the second half, another 7-0 run propelled the lead to 24 midway through the third, before senior Keagan Nwosu scored a traditional three-point play to cap a 10-4 run with 1:49 left in the quarter. Jesuit built a game-high, 28-point lead with 2:56 remaining in the fourth to put the game out of reach.
 
Jesuit will next travel to Frisco, Texas for the 2016 Lone Star Shootout, consisting of four games in two days at Lone Star High School. The Rangers will open at 11 a.m. on Monday, November 21 against reigning University Interscholastic League (UIL) 6A State Champion DeSoto before battling Lewisville at 3:30 p.m. Monday. Bouts against Liberty Christian and OKC Storm end the team's tournament and pre-Thanksgiving schedule.