Highlanders squeak by Hill, Highlassies come up short

The McLennan Highlanders squeaked by the Hill Rebels 76-71 on the road in Hillsboro.

It looked like it would be a McLennan runaway to start the game. The Highlanders took the first double-digit lead at 14-3 with 15 minutes remaining in the half. McLennan led 34-15 with 5:47 to go in the half. Hill rallied, cutting the lead to 12 at the break, 42-30. 

The Highlanders made two quick baskets to start the second half, extending the lead to 16. The Rebels chipped away at the lead down the stretch, cutting the lead to four with 30 seconds remaining but it wasn't enough.

Shannon Bogues led the Highlanders with 19 points. Jerami Grace and Aundre Jackson scored 17 points each. Fred Jackson added 14.

The Highlassies came up short, falling to the Lady Rebels 85-77 in the early game.

McLennan opened the game on a 5-0 run. Hill responded with a 7-0 run to take the 7-5 lead with 8:20 to play in the first. The Highlassies led 11-10 with just under seven minutes to go in the quarter. Hill began to pull away, leading by as many as 13. McLennan's Dariel Johnson drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut the lead to 10 heading into the second period, 28-18. The Highlassies rallied to cut the lead to four midway through the second quarter but the Lady Rebels pulled away again and led 44-36 at the half.

McLennan cut the lead to four less than a minute into the third quarter. The Lady Rebels extended the lead to nine, 51-42, with 6:53 to go in the third and led by seven going into the final period, 64-57. Hill led by as many as 15 in the fourth quarter. McLennan cut the lead to eight in the final seconds but ran out of time to complete the comeback.

Tayla Taylor led the Highlassies with 20 points. Ariana Sanders and Victoria Seay added 17 and 11, respectively.

McLennan 76, Hill 71
McLennan: Ben Nakwaasah 2 0-0 6; K.J. Boyd 1 0-0 2; Jerami Grace 7 0-1 17; Shannon Bogues 9 1-1 19; Aundre Jackson 7 3-3 17; Zach Charles 0 1-2 1; Fred Jackson 5 4-4 14; Ricky Curry 1 0-0 2; Totals: 32 8-11 76.

Hill: Devocio Butler 7 5-9 23; Rachaun Martin 0 1-2 1; Christian Bambrook 5 0-0 12; Edric Dennis 3 0-0 7; Jecoby Bush 4 0-0 9; Joey Frenchwood 6 0-0 18; Simpson Anderson 1 0-1 2; Mike Mayhew 1 0-0 2; Totals: 27 6-12 71.

3-pointers: McLennan 5 (Grace 3, Nakwaasah 2), Hill 11 (Frenchwood 6, Bambrook 2, Butler 1, Dennis 1, Bush 1); Total fouls: McLennan 11, Hill 11; Halftime score: McLennan 42, Hill 30; Record: McLennan 23-4 (7-2).

Hill 85, McLennan 77

McLennan: Kiana Martin 0 2-2 2; Kyera Coleman 3 0-0 8; Dariel Johnson 4 0-0 11; Victoria Seay 1 0-0 2 3; Diamond Ervin 3 3-4 9; Ariana Sanders 7 2-2 17; Raven Ringo 1 0-0 3; NiCosha Nelms 1 0-0 2; Tayla Taylor 8 4-8 20; Tori Thompson 1 0-0 2; Totals: 29 11-16 77.

Hill: Ljiljana Kiklic 2 4-6 9; Kynese Davis 4 4-5 12; Chelsea Adams 4 4-6 13; Mackenzie Tucker 2 0-0 4; April Matthews 1 2-2 4; Kaylee McConnell 4 1-2 11; Lexi Burns 7 5-7 23; Faith Dimerson 4 1-2 9; Totals: 28 21-30 85.

3-pointers: McLennan 8 (Johnson 3, Coleman 2, Seay 1, Sanders 1, Ringo 1), Hill 8 (Burns 4, McConnell 2, Adams 1, Kiklic 1); Total fouls: McLennan 23, Hill 17; Fouled out: McLennan (Coleman), Hill (Davis); Halftime score: Hill 44, McLennan 36; Record: McLennan 11-14 (6-4).