The Rangers dropped their University Interscholastic League (UIL) District 9-6A opener to Coppell, 58-53, on Tuesday evening at Coppell High School.
 
Jesuit was led offensively by senior Mitch Prendergast, who buried four three-pointers to finish with a team-leading 17 points. Junior Marcus Hill and sophomore Max Abmas tacked on 10 points each, while senior Jacob Palisch dragged down a team-high seven boards. Junior Reid Hatzmann assisted on four Jesuit baskets, while Hill and Abmas secured two steals apiece.
 
In total, the Rangers (8-5, 0-1) shot 45.7 percent from the floor, the eighth time this season that Jesuit has recorded a team field goal percentage of 45 percent or higher. However, Coppell scored 25 points off of 17 Jesuit turnovers, outscoring the Blue and Gold in the paint, 26-14.
 
Jesuit scored eight unanswered points to open the game, but a 13-4 run by Coppell handed the Cowboys a one-point lead at the end of the opening quarter. Prendergast opened the second with a three-pointer, sparking a 9-3 Ranger run to give the visitors a two-possession lead. Hatzmann finished the team's 14-point second quarter by burying a three-pointer with 55 seconds left, vaulting Jesuit into the break with a 26-23 lead.
 
After three free throws by senior Alan Garcia started the second half, Coppell staged a 13-3 run that swung the momentum back to the Cowboys. A traditional three-point play by junior Michael Jankovich sliced the lead to one point, but Coppell responded with a game-breaking, 10-2 run to lead by nine with 5:18 left in the fourth.
 
Hill recorded a traditional three-point play to keep Jesuit within striking distance, but another Coppell run placed the Rangers on the brink. Prendergast was fouled on a successful three-point attempt and later hit a jumper to bring Jesuit to within five, but Coppell went 5-of-8 from the charity stripe over the final minute to clinch the win.
 
Jesuit will next break for Christmas and return to the court for the first round of the In-and-Out Allen Holiday Invitational. The Rangers will face Midlothian at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, December 27 to start the three-day tournament.