Highlanders demolish Fort Hood

Xaiver Armstead drained a wide-open 3-pointer less than 30 seconds into the game, and the McLennan Highlanders never looked back as they demolished the Fort Hood Phantom Warriors 101-66 Thursday evening at The Highlands.

McLennan went full throttle from the opening tip, beginning the game on a 10-1 run that spanned just under two minutes. Fort Hood cut the lead back to six, but that was as close as they could get. The Highlanders broke the game open with another run – this time of the 10-0 variety – to take the 16-point lead, 20-4, with 14:46 remaining in the first half. McLennan led by as many as 29 in the first half and held the 56-30 advantage at the break. The Highlanders continued to cruise through the second half as they moved their season record to 11-1.

Xaiver Armstead led McLennan with 23 points. Garrett Shaw and Antoine Banks scored 16 points each. Jashawn Talton and Dayante McClellan scored 12 and 10, respectively.

The Highlanders will host Eastfield at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 in their final home game of the fall semester.

Fort Hood: Delvon Henderson 4 2-3 13; Dontre Robinson 2 0-0 4; Willie Flowers 3 0-0 9; Willie Ruffin 2 4-4 10; Marquise Elliot 0 1-2 1; Deonte McShepard 8 1-2 21; Derrick King 2 0-0 4; Kenneth Patterson 2 0-0 4; Totals: 23 9-12 66.

McLennan: Aaron Gregg 3 0-0 6; Javen Hedgeman 1 3-4 5; Marquez Cooper 2 0-0 5; Xaiver Armstead 8 0-0 23; Antoine Banks 5 2-2 16; Garrett Shaw 5 3-5 16; Jashawn Talton 5 1-1 12; Dayante McClellan 3 0-0 10; Daniel Pinho Severo 1 1-2 3; Sasa Vuksanvic 2 1-3 5; Totals: 35 11-17 101.

3-pointers: Fort Hood (McShepard 4, Flowers 3, Henderson 2, Ruffin 2), McLennan 9 (Armstead 7, Banks 4, Shaw 2, Talton 1, Cooper 1); Total fouls: Fort Hood 16; McLennan 7; Halftime score: McLennan 56, Fort Hood 30; Record: McLennan 11-1.