Jesuit used a strong-willed defense and determined play in the paint to secure a 61-51, season-opening win over Mesquite on Tuesday at Mesquite H.S. The Rangers capture their fifth straight win over the Skeeters and win their season opener for the fifth consecutive season.
 
Junior Gavin Perryman scored a team-high 19 points, going 7-of-15 from the floor and 5-of-9 from behind the arc. Senior Eli Steger finished the contest with 10 points and seven rebounds while classmate Darryl Brown secured a team-high 10 rebounds while adding six points. Junior Shane Hatzmann added a team-high six assists in his season debut.
 
The Rangers additionally saw four members of the team make their debuts on varsity, including junior Cal Linn. Linn hit four three-pointers to finish the game with 12 points, adding four rebounds and a steal. Junior forward Conor Moore sliced through the Skeeter defense en route to a 3-for-5 clip from the field to finish his first varsity game with seven points and three rebounds. Junior Camden Roy was a key defensive presence during the late periods of the contest as Reid Lynch converted both of his field goal attempts to finish with five points.
 
Jesuit scored 32 points in the paint and 15 points off of 14 offensive rebounds. The Rangers forced 17 Mesquite turnovers, which turned into 16 points for the Blue and Gold, and out-rebounded Mesquite, 37-18.
 
How it Happened
 

• The opening quarter saw Jesuit hit four out of five attempted three-pointers and took an 18-8 lead out of the gate. Mesquite was held to 3-of-10 from the floor and hit one of six three-pointers. Perryman and Linn secured six points each, including a Linn three-pointer off of a feed by Perryman with 34 seconds left in the opening quarter.
   
• Jesuit's run continued in the second quarter as the Rangers focused on the paint after the first quarter proficiency from range. Four points from Moore led all scorers in the second as six different Rangers put the ball through the cylinder during the quarter. Jesuit hit 7-of-11 shots and forced five Mesquite turnovers to outscore the Skeeters, 16-8 in the second quarter and go into the halftime break with an 18-point lead.
   
• Mesquite won the third quarter, 18-15, limiting themselves to four turnovers while recording five steals and forcing nine Jesuit turnovers. Perryman scored eight points to keep the comeback attempt at bay as Mesquite went into the fourth quarter trailing by 16 points.
   
• A 17-11 run to start the fourth quarter brought the Skeeters to within 10 points of the Rangers, but Hatzmann was able to break the press with under 20 seconds remaining to get over the timeline. Jesuit kept the ball away from the Mesquite trap as the time ticked away, not allowing the Skeeters another possession after a missed jumper at the 18-second mark.

 
Up Next
 
Jesuit will play at Walsh Gym for the first time this season on Monday, Nov. 25 as the Rangers welcome Newman Smith for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off. The Rangers will play twice before the Thanksgiving break as the Blue and Gold will battle Wylie on Nov. 26 in The Colony.