Mesquite's boys basketball team has endured a pair of tight losses recently to sister schools in the Gilbert district. 6A Gilbert High bested Mesquite by two and 5A Campo Verde prevailed by three.

In between the Wildcats have taken out some frustration from those contests, levying that on 4A Desert Sky Region foes.

The latest region victim was Seton Catholic on Friday night. Mesquite built a 12-point, first-half lead and went on to 78-51 triumph  at Mesquite. A week before (Dec.10) the Wildcats posted an 87-56 victory over Saguaro. Mesquite is 8-5 overall and 2-0 in region. Seton is (5-7, 0-1).

Mesquite senior guard CohenJ Gonzales poured in a game-high 32 points. Gonzales netted 22 in the first half (11 in each quarter). Gonzales sank five threes as part of this total output and his teammates combined for seven more.

Mesquite's Jaylen Wollangk took over as the offensive catalyst in the second half. Wollangk, a junior guard, finished with 19 points. He scored 12 in the third quarter, blunting a Seton comeback bid. Ten of Wollangk's points in the third came after Seton rallied to within 39-32 with 4:51 left in the quarter. By the end of the third quarter, Mesquite had the game in hand with 57-39 advantage.

Senior guard Zach Strauss led Seton with 23 points, 11 of those in the second quarter. Strauss connected on four threes and scored all his points in the first three quarters. Also scoring in double digits for Seton was forward Jake Morris with 12 points. Ten of Morris's points came after intermission.

Both schools next action before the new year begins are in tournaments. Mesquite plays in the Visit Mesa Basketball Challenge (Monday through Thursday). The Wildcats play their games at Red Mountain High School in the On This Mountain bracket. Competing in the bracket with Mesquite are Campo Verde, Patriack Henry (CA), Maricopa, Smoky Hill (CO), Red Mountain, Pima and Rock Canyon (CO).

Seton resumes play Dec. 28-30 in the Epic Tourneys New Years Classic. Seton's games are tentatively set to be played at Skyline High School. The Sentinels first opponent (Dec. 28) is Combs.