Senior Mitch Prendergast logged his fourth consecutive double-digit performance, anchoring a definitive second-half effort that lifted Jesuit Dallas over MacArthur, 54-38, in the third-place game of the 2016 Knights of Columbus Bob Stras Dallas Classic Tournament on Saturday at Walsh Gymnasium.
 
The Rangers (7-2) dropped an overtime nail biter, 72-62, to eventual tournament champion Waco Midway on Friday to move into the consolation bracket, but responded by shooting 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from three-point range while gathering a 35-31 rebounding advantage, scoring 11 second chance points. Prendergast, who was named to the All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the bout, shot 6-of-15 from the floor and 4-of-6 from range to finish with 16 points. Prendergast averaged 21.3 points over four games this week, including a new career-high 29 points against Plano East on Tuesday.
 
Senior Jeff Grimes, who made his first career varsity start against the Cardinals along with junior Keagan Nwosu, answered the call by puling down a career-high 11 rebounds and matching his career-best two blocks, tacking on five points and three assists. Junior Marcus Hill hit two three-pointers to close out his weekend with a 12-point performance, and a 4-for-9 evening from sophomore Max Abmas resulted in 11 points. Junior Reid Hatzmann also made a key contribution, recording a team-high five assists, four boards and five points.
 
MacArthur led, 10-9 with 6:29 remaining in the second before Jesuit erupted for a first-half ending, 13-2 run that tipped the scales in favor of the Blue and Gold. Five Rangers contributed to the run, which included four points from Abmas, three from Grimes, and two apiece from Hill, Hatzmann and senior Jacob Palisch. In the third, the Rangers kept their lead intact, holding MacArthur without a three pointer to take a 12-point lead into the fourth.
 
A 12-4 run to open the final put the Rangers up 20 and put the game out of reach. Abmas buried a three-pointer with 3:06 remaining to give the Blue and Gold a 52-30 point lead, its biggest lead of the contest.
 
With four games remaining until Christmas break, the Rangers will next travel to Little Elm at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6. Jesuit will not return to Walsh Gym until Tuesday, January 3, when the Blue and Gold take on University Interscholastic League (UIL) District 9-6A foe J.J. Pearce.