In the end, Morton Ranch met its nemesis—a team that had just as much firepower, just as much athleticism and just as much shooting as it did.

And No. 2 state-ranked Dickinson had all of that in abundance.

The Gators were too much for the No. 14-state ranked Mavericks in their Class 6A Region III semifinal on Friday, March 6. A five-point Dickinson halftime lead turned into a 14-point advantage going into the fourth quarter, as the Gators used 7-of-9 3-point sharpshooting in the third period to break open a hotly contested game and earn an 83-69 win at the Berry Center in Cypress.

The Mavs finished their program-best regional semifinalist season with a 27-9 overall record. Because of an intense skirmish that occurred between the two teams with 25 seconds left in the game, Katy ISD officials did not permit Morton Ranch players or coaches to talk to the media after the game.

Dickinson improved to 31-5 and advanced to the regional final on Saturday.

Dickinson star Tramon Mark, a University of Houston signee, scored a game-high 40 points. The 6-foot-5 senior guard made 19 of 21 free throws and 5 of 9 3-pointers. Fellow senior backcourt mate Marcus Williams added 21 points and senior guard Deuce Guidry finished with 20, as the Gators employed a slew of rangy, athletic playmakers that featured plenty of shooting.

Dickinson connected on 11 of 24 3s. Morton Ranch, meanwhile, made just 5 of 22 3s, giving the Gators a plus-30 advantage in points off 3-pointers alone.

Mavericks senior and Baylor signee L.J. Cryer capped his outstanding high school career with 24 points, five rebounds and five assists, but made just 2 of 11 3s and uncharacteristically missed four of eight free-throw attempts. Cryer wrapped up his senior campaign with 1,164 points for an average of 34.2 per game. His career point total of 3,488 ranks fifth all-time in Texas high school boys basketball history, and No. 1 all-time in the Greater Houston area.

Senior center and TCU signee Eddie Lampkin, who fouled out in the closing seconds of the game, added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Morton Ranch. Junior wing Ethan Shiflett added nine points and five rebounds off the bench.

Aside from the third quarter, the game was as competitive and fiery as advertised, with Mark and Williams showcasing their gifted talents for the Gators early and often and Cryer and Lampkin returning the favor for the Mavs.

But Dickinson outscored Morton Ranch 25-16 in the third quarter in what proved to be a game-changing eight minutes of play. Of the Gators’ nine field goals in the period, seven came from 3-point range. Mark hit three, and Williams and Guidry each knocked in a pair.

Morton Ranch got within six points late in the fourth quarter as Cryer scored eight of his points in game’s final four minutes, but Dickinson capitalized on free throws as the Mavs were forced to foul. Mark attempted 16 free throws in the fourth quarter, making 14. Guidry also hit a pair of free throws, and Morton Ranch never got the necessary stops it needed to eat into the six-point deficit.

The loss marked a bitter end for the terrific careers of Mavs seniors Cryer, Lampkin and Westley Sellers. They helped establish Morton Ranch as a formidable power in Region III, won two consecutive undefeated district championships, and led the program to its best finish ever in the regional semifinals.