Box Score LAREDO, Texas – Three Jets scored in double figures but it wasn't enough to keep Newman from falling to St. Mary's in the semifinal round of the Heartland Conference Tournament Friday night in Laredo. Chuck Coley led the Newman offense with 19 points.

St. Mary's scored the first points of the contest off a jumper by Lamb Autrey at the 19:08 mark to give the Rattlers the first lead. Newman's Eric Saunders responded with a jumper of his own, tying the game at 2-2 but St. Mary's was ready to fight and with 11:45 remaining in the half had opened up a 20-10 lead. The Jets retaliated with a 13-0 run and took a 23-20 lead with 6:11 left to play off a Chuck Coley free throw. Newman pushed its lead to as much as 29-22 before the Rattlers came back and jumped ahead off a Lamb Autrey basket with just 39 seconds left in the half. Eric Saunders scored with seven seconds remaining to send the teams into halftime tied at 31-31.

The Rattlers' Kevin Kotzur opened the second half with a bucket to put St. Mary's up 33-31, but Newman's Darrell Traylor drained a three to retake the lead, 34-33. Newman pushed its lead to 37-33 off a Chuck Coley basket but St. Mary's wouldn't quit and used a 9-0 run to take a 41-37 lead with 16:02 left to play. The teams went back-and-forth for several minutes but Newman was never able to take the lead again. Chuck Coley tied the game for the sixth time, 54-54 at the 7:51 mark but once again the Rattlers responded and with 2:30 left had opened up their largest lead of the second half, 62-56. Newman gave one final effort, drawing it as close as 62-60 with 51 seconds left on the clock but St. Mary's wouldn't give in and closed the game on a D.J. Castro free throw, 63-60.

Three Jets scored in double figures. Chuck Coley led Newman with 19 points while Eric Saunders and Shamar Acuay added 14 and 10 respectively. Coley, Saunders and Acuay each pulled down six boards in the contest.

The Rattlers' Kevin Kotzur led all scorers with 24 points.

As a team Newman shot 48.0 percent (24-50) from the field and made 54.5 percent (6-11) of their shots from the charity stripe. The Jets were out-rebounded by the Rattlers 33-31 and turned the ball over 19 times.

With the loss the Jets finish their season with an 18-9 overall record and a 10-5 mark in conference play.