White and blue jerseys with gold embroidery gliding down the court, the humid, claustrophobic musk of sweat permeating the stagnant air of the gym. Fans clad in gold and blue chanting and screaming in the stands. These things can only mean one glorious thing: the Jesuit Basketball season is officially under way.
Through five games, the 2012-13 Jesuit Varsity Rangers, currently ranked 17th in the state of Texas, have already proven to much of the UIL that they are a true force to be reckoned with in the world of Texas high school basketball.
In their first game of the season, the Rangers faced one of their most familiar opponents, from recent years, the Mesquite Skeeters. In what turned out to be a blowout, the Rangers held a commanding 35-17 lead at the half and never looked back. The rangers “let in rain” in an eventual 66-32 blowout win.
Not only did the Rangers double up on the Skeeters in terms of points, but they also managed to spread the wealth offensively, with 9 players who scored. Steven Spieth ’13, one of last year’s emerging stars, led all scoring with 13 points, while Stankey ‘13 and point guard phenomenon Brocke Stepteau ’14 each had 9 points.
Along with Stepteau, this game featured 3 other new additions to the Varsity squad: low-post force Matthew Bender ’14, Sophomore forward/swingman Michael McReynolds ’15, and the very defensive-minded guard, Michael Bejarano ’14. Not only did each one of them score at least 5 points in the game against the Skeeters, but they have also showed off the extreme athleticism of Jesuit’s junior class. Seasoned veterans, like Grant Hatzmann ’13, are “excited to see the further impact that the juniors have on the team and [their] overall success.”
In their second game, the Rangers played the South Oak Cliff Golden Bears, the second ranked team in Texas 4A high school basketball. With a chip on their shoulders and a desire to make a statement in the UIL, the Varsity squad found themselves down 32-28 after one half. Led by Steven Spieth, who led all Jesuit scorers with 24 points, the Rangers came back to force overtime, outscoring the Bears 12-10 in overtime, to squeak out a 2 point, 71-69, victory.
A few days later, the Rangers played another highly ranked 4A team, the Highland Park Scots, one of Jesuit’s greatest rivals in many sports other than basketball, especially lacrosse. Playing their North Dallas neighbors for the first time in a few years, the Rangers put on quite a clinic against the Scots, playing an all around great game, against a very competitive Scots squad, and coming away with a 57-44 victory, which included a stellar 29-18 second-half performance.
After a stellar 23 point game, which led all scorers, senior big man Stankey ’13 highlighted the keys to success for the Rangers, noting that “Coach Hill has made help-side defense and solid rebounding a priority this year.” He also praised Spieth ’13 for his leadership and consistent scoring throughout the season so far.
However, many of the other players could not stop raving about how vital Stankey’s consistent shooting has been, including Spieth, who underlined the importance of “Bryan showing up for us in a big way.” Both Spieth and Stankey also praised the fan support as one of the most important keys to the success of the team so far.
Following two huge wins, the Rangers played one of the toughest games on their schedule against the 5th ranked team in the state of Texas, the North Crowley Panthers. Jumping to a 35-29 lead, the Rangers went into the locker room at the end of the first half with huge confidence. After the first half, however, North Crowley got back on their feet, tying up the game at 62-62 at the end of regulation.
The Panthers continued that momentum into overtime, taking a 69-66 lead with seconds left. With Jesuit needing a big shot, junior sensation Stepteau ’14 nailed a deep three pointer to push the game to a second overtime. Once again, North Crowley took a lead, and, once again, with the help of a Bejarano three pointer and some vital Spieth free throws, the Rangers were able to push the game into triple overtime.
This time, the Rangers were able to take advantage of a huge momentum swing at the beginning of the third overtime, going behind initially, but taking a lead that they never relinquished on the way to a 90-84 win, one of the most significant wins in the recent history of Jesuit basketball.
Once again, Spieth and Stankey led the Rangers offensively, with 13 and 26 points, respectively, while Stepteau, Bejarano, and senior Grant Hatzmann added to the point totals, with 15, 13, and 7 points. The defensive efforts of McReynolds, Hatzmann, and Spieth kept any North Crowley players from reaching 20 points, their highest scorer, Norense Odiase, scoring 18.
In the end, Jesuit won one of its most important games in a very long time, what Hatzmann ’13 called, “our best win of the season so far.” One of the biggest statement games of the season, this matchup against North Crowley was an announcement to many district rivals and opponents that these Jesuit Rangers can keep up with any team in the state of Texas.
In their final game of the five game stretch, after one of the biggest matchups of their season, the Rangers did not disappoint, taking down their first-round playoff opponents from last year, Garland Lakeview Centennial, 64-57. Once again, Stankey and Spieth led all Jesuit scorers, with 16 and 14, respectively, while, defensively, the Rangers allowed only three Lakeview Centennial scorers to break the 5-point mark.
After a stellar first few weeks, maybe one of the best opening stretches in recent memory, the Jesuit Rangers are 5-0, with no intention of slowing down. They have already beaten three highly ranked opponents and look to continue their aggressive, efficient brand of high scoring, fundamentally sound basketball.
Once again, the Jesuit Rangers Varsity Basketball squad is setting out to prove to the entire UIL that private schools can battle with the best teams in the state. With experienced Varsity players, a great coach in Coach Hill, and plenty of team chemistry, this year has the potential to be a historic year for the Varsity Rangers basketball program. As Varsity manager extraordinaire, Jeff Ackels ’13, so eloquently puts it, “It is time to expect great things from this year and this team.”
