A historic and immensely successful season came to an end on Saturday as Jesuit Dallas dropped a 60-45 decision to state-ranked No. 5 South Garland in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Region 2-6A Championship at Ellis Davis Field House. The Rangers conclude a season that included the first UIL regional championship appearance in program history and the first 30-win season since Jesuit Dallas joined the UIL in 2004.
 
Senior Michael Jankovich led the charge for the Rangers, scoring a team-leading 14 points, including two three-pointers and a 4-of-6 clip from the free-throw line. Senior Reid Hatzmann added 11 points and four assists, while junior Max Abmas added nine points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
 
A suffocating South Garland defense held the Rangers in check throughout the contest, holding the Blue and Gold to 38 percent from the floor and 3-of-21 from three-point range while out-rebounding Jesuit, 34-27. The Rangers led by six points with four minutes remaining in the half, but South Garland outscored the Rangers, 35-19 in the second half to earn the win.
 
How it Happened
 

• Both teams went 4-for-5 from the floor to start the contest, resulting in a 9-9 stalemate midway through the opening quarter. A three-pointer by Hatzmann gave the Rangers a three-point lead but an 11-2, quarter-ending run by South Garland gave the Colonels a six-point advantage heading into the second quarter.
   
• Senior Keagan Nwosu jump-started the Rangers in the second quarter off of a feed from Jankovich, sparking a 14-2 run that handed Jesuit a six-point lead of its own at the four-minute mark of the second quarter. The Rangers held South Garland to 1-of-8 throughout the second quarter to build the two-possession lead. South Garland closed the half on an 8-3 run of its own to send Jesuit into the halftime break with a 31-30 lead.
   
• The tide began to turn in the third quarter when South Garland took a seven-point lead with an eight-point swing, shooting 5-of-9 from the floor while Jesuit opened the second half shooting 2-of-5 while committing three turnovers. South Garland ended the quarter leading 46-39 as Hatzmann concluded the quarter with a tip-in bucket to keep the Rangers close to the Colonel lead.
   
• Jankovich opened the fourth quarter with a mid-range jumper to cut the lead to five, but the South Garland defense shut the sharp-shooting Rangers down in the fourth quarter, holding Jesuit without a fourth-quarter three-pointer while closing the game out with a 19-10 fourth quarter advantage.

 
Season Notes
 

• The Rangers concluded the season winning nine of its final 10 contests. Jesuit excelled down the stretch of the regular season and into the postseason. Over the last 10 games of the season, Jesuit Dallas averaged 63.0 points per game, outscoring opponents by 12.4 points per game while additionally out-rebounding foes by 4.9 boards per contest.
   
• Friday's contest marks the final game for the Jesuit Dallas Basketball Class of 2018, featuring Hatzmann, Hill, Chris Horton, Jankovich, Nwosu and Preboy. The current senior class departs Jesuit with a three-year record of 73-27, increasing Jesuit's playoff streak to 10 consecutive seasons while earning the first two regional tournament appearances in team history.