Sophomore Reid Hatzmann scored a game-tying layup with five seconds remaining in regulation, but MacArthur's Arthur Jones posted a 36 point-performance to lift the Cardinals past the Rangers, 70-65, in a classic University Interscholastic League (UIL) District 9-6A bout on Friday evening at Walsh Gymnasium.

In a wildly entertaining game that featured 10 ties and eight lead changes, sophomore Michael Jankovich scored a team-leading 24 points, shooting 8-of-16 from the floor and tying a season-high with six three-pointers.  Classmate Marcus Hill posted 14 points while adding a team-high six rebounds.
 
Senior Ben Kunasek posted four assists, while classmate Shawn Regan swatted away two MacArthur shot attempts.  Junior Alan Garcia made his return to the Ranger lineup after an early season injury, finishing the game with six points, two rebounds, an assist, block and steal.

Jesuit Dallas (18-8, 8-3 UIL) shot 43.4 percent from the floor, besting MacArthur (19-6, 8-3 UIL), who finished the game shooting 36.5 percent.  The difference on the scoreboard came from the Cardinals' success from the free throw line.  In Jesuit's 64-61 win over MacArthur on Jan. 12, the Cardinals shot 58.8 percent from the charity stripe, finishing with 10 total points. 

On Friday, MacArthur converted 25-of-34 free-throw attempts.  The Cardinals added 31 points off of Ranger turnovers, while Jesuit Dallas and MacArthur each totaled 24 points in the paint.

MacArthur responded to an opening three-pointer by Landon with a 9-2 run, taking a four-point lead with 3:24 left in the first.  Two three-pointers by Jankovich and an additional three by Hill swung the momentum back to the Rangers' favor, giving Jesuit a five-point lead with 1:07 left in the first before a three by MacArthur's Xavious Booker and a buzzer-beating layup by Jones tied the game headed into the second.

Hill buried his second shot from the beyond the arc with 6:44 remaining in the second half to give the Rangers back the lead, but a 12-2 run by MacArthur gave the Cardinals a six-point lead with four minutes remaining in the half.  The Rangers were held without a bucket until the halftime buzzer, but successful trips to the free-throw line by Jankovich, Garcia and Hill gave the Blue and Gold a six-point swing, sending MacArthur with a slim, 30-27 halftime lead.

That six-point swing would turn into a 12-0 run after Jankovich buried a three-pointer for the Rangers' first points of the second half, followed by Hill converting three free-throws after being fouled behind the arc.  The two squads then began to battle and MacArthur tied the game on three occasions but were unable to take the lead. 

Leading by one with 1:20 left in the third, Jesuit went on an 8-0 run to lead, 49-40, with 7:36 remaining in regulation.  MacArthur tied the game with a 9-2 run, shaking off another 7-0 Jesuit run with a 9-0 run over the last 1:41, taking a two-point lead with 19 seconds left.

Hatzmann took the inbounds pass, crossed the timeline and raced down the right post, hitting a running layup to tie the game with seven seconds left to send the game into overtime.  Three Jesuit Dallas turnovers in the extra session damaged the Rangers' chances for the win, and the Cardinals converted 8-of-12 free throws down the stretch to keep their distance from the Blue and Gold until the final buzzer.

The Rangers will next hit the road to take on R.L. Turner on Tuesday, Feb. 9 before hosting Sunset on Friday. Feb. 11.  Both games are scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 p.m.