An incredible postseason run by the Jesuit Dallas basketball squad came to a close at the hands of the top-ranked team in the state, as the Klein Forest Eagles defeated the Rangers, 71-57, in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Region II-6A Semifinal on Friday at Ellis Davis Field House.
 
Senior Mitch Prendergast closed his Jesuit career with a 16-point performance, shooting 4-of-7 from behind the arc to lead Jesuit offensively. Junior Michael Jankovich scored 15 points while shooting 5-of-12 from the floor, adding a team-high seven rebounds. Senior Jeff Grimes blocked two shots, brought down five boards and assisted on two buckets, while junior Reid Hatzmann logged a career-high three assists. Junior Marcus Hill scored nine points with six rebounds, while senior Alan Garcia and junior Keagan Nwosu scored five and two points, respectively.
 
Jesuit (23-11) shot 41.3 percent from the floor and brought down five offensive boards for four second chance points, but turned the ball over 19 times, which led to 30 points for the Eagles (34-0), who remain unbeaten going into the UIL Region II-6A Final against fellow 9-6A member Skyline.

Klein Forest began the bout shooting 4-of-6 from the floor, burying a pair of three-pointers for an early, 12-4 lead with 3:20 left in the first. Taking a 20-9 lead into the second, Klein Forest watched as the Rangers reduced the lead to eight after a traditional three-point play by Garcia, and Jesuit responded to a 7-0 Eagle run with a half-ending, 12-5 run, going into the break trailing by seven.
 
Prendergast buried a three-pointer with 6:36 left in the third to bring the Jesuit deficit down to four points with 6:36 remaining in the third, but Klein Forest closed the quarter on a 14-8 run, shaking off a Grimes three-pointer with 1:42 left in the frame to enter the fourth up by three possessions. The Eagles opened the fourth on a 15-5 run to go up 18 with 50 seconds left, withstanding a pair of Prendergast three-pointers down the stretch to clinch the victory.
 
Friday's contest ended a historic season for the Jesuit Dallas basketball team, a campaign which included the best tournament run since joining the UIL. A 69-46 win over Rockwall propelled Jesuit into the UIL Region II-6A Semifinal for the first time in program history, concluding a playoff run which also included wins over Rockwall and The Woodlands.