LONGVIEW, Texas-There may have been tears in the stands, but none on the floor from McLeod's players Friday night at Longview High's Lobo Coliseum.
The Longhorns held their heads high, congratulating victorious Dallas Gateway Charter after the Gators escaped their Class 2A area basketball playoff game, 79-75.
Gateway (13-4) drained 10 treys and forced 27 turnovers to eliminate the District 15-2A runner-up.
McLeod (28-7) played inspired basketball for four quarters behind the outstanding play of seniors JR Smith and Colby Smith, who combined for 56 points. The 6-5 JR Smith, who hopes to play college baseball, poured in a game-high 34 points and grabbed 23 rebounds.
"Gateway is the best three-point shooting team we've seen this year," McLeod coach Steven Lambeth said. "My seniors played great, we fought hard and I'm proud of all my players.
"I knew if we came out and protected the basketball, we would have a good chance of winning. Our young guards got some valuable experience and the seniors finished well. I think these guys played great every game all season."
The Gators built a nine-point cushion in the third quarter, only to see McLeod rally within three on a Colby Smith 3-pointer, one of six he had, finishing with 22 points.
McLeod's deficit was nine again early in the final quarter when treys by Colby Smith and a conventional 3-pointer by JR Smith tied the score at 68-68.
Two missed free throws with 3:09 left prevented the Horns from taking the lead.
Kianti Davis was fouled seconds later on a driving layup, and he converted the three-point play to put the Gators on top for good.
It was a one-point game when Darrell Petty made a long trey to offset some missed free throws by the Gators.
Matrix Woods led the winners with 22 points, with twin Mercury Woods adding 18. Petty tallied 16 and Davis scored 10.
"JR (Smith) has been everything to us," Lambeth said. "He's an outstanding discus thrower in track, and was the district MVP in baseball. We're going to miss him very much next season."
The Gators needed incredible outside shooting to stay with McLeod in the first half, making 9 of 15 treys, three each by Matrix Woods and Mercury Woods.
When McLeod could get the ball to JR Smith in the paint, it was two points. He was 9 of 10 from the field, while converting the Horns' only two free throws for 20 first-half points and 13 rebounds.
JR Smith scored the game's first two baskets on layups, only to see the Gators answer with an 11-0 run, nine coming on treys by Mercury and Matrix Woods.
Trailing 28-22 early in the second quarter, Colby Smith swished a pair of treys to tie the score.
JR Smith rebounded his only miss in the first two quarters and scored to put McLeod on top 32-31 with 5:05 left in the first half. Zach Prince helped the Horns build a three-point lead before the Gators regained the lead on a trey by Darrell Petty.
Prince's layup at the buzzer made it 43-42 in favor of the Gators.
Gateway advances to play Celeste or Rivercrest in the next round of the playoffs.
Dallas Gateway 26 17 17 19 - 79
McLeod 22 20 11 22 - 75
DG (79): Richardson 2 2-7 6; Ma. Woods 9 1-3 22; Petty 6 0-0 16; Wallace 3 1-2 7; Me. Woods 6 3-6 18; Davis 3 3-6 10, TOTALS 29 10-24 79.
McLEOD (75): C. Smith 6 4-4 22; Keener 2 0-0 4; Prince 4 1-2 9; Williams 2 0-0 6; JR Smith 14 6-10 34, TOTALS 28 11-16 75.
3-point goals: DG-Petty 4, Ma. Woods 3, Me. Woods 3. MCL-C. Smith 6, Williams 2. Team fouls: Dallas Gateway Charter 17, McLeod 21. Fouled out: Calhoun. Technical foul: Wallace.