The McLennan Highlassies hit the ground running to start the delayed 2020-21 season with a dominating victory over the Texas Christian Wolfpack at The Highlands.
It was all McLennan from the opening tip. A Raija Todd bucket less than a minute into the first quarter began a 6-0 Highlassie run. An Asia Bradley 3-pointer put Texas Christian on the board with 7:52 to go in the first quarter. McLennan broke the game open with a 14-0 run to lead by 17 with four minutes to play in the first. The Highlassies continued to roll, extending the lead to 30 after one quarter of play, 36-6. The second quarter was much the same with McLennan leading 65-12 at intermission.
McLennan held Texas Christian to just two points for over seven minutes to start the third and rattled off 21 points to extend the lead. The Highlassies would lead 93-21 going into the final period and continued to control the game down the stretch.
Mele Kailahi led the way for the Highlassies with 31 points including four 3-point buckets. Mersadez Nephew and Raija Todd added 26 and 20, respectively. Ahlura Lofton added 14 and McKenzie Piper scored 11.
The battle between the men's squads would prove to be much more competitive with the Highlanders taking the 100-83 victory over the Wolfpack.
Texas Christian opened on a 4-0 run. The Wolfpack led by five, 14-9, with 11:44 to play in the first half. Back-to-back put-back buckets by Isaiah Placide and Kirk Smith pulled McLennan within one, 14-13, and a Diego Gonzales free throw tied the game at 14 midway through the half. The two teams traded baskets for the next seven minutes. Texas Christian leading 33-32 with 3:12 to go before the half. The Highlanders used a 10-1 run to pull away and led 45-36 at the break.
The Highlanders extended the lead to 12 early in the second half. The Wolfpack rallied, trimming the lead to four 55-51 with 15:04 to play. McLennan pulled away once again, leading by 18, 78-60. Texas Christian would pull within nine but that was as close as it would get.
Chris Pryor led the Highlanders with 18 points and Amani Harris added 16 including four 3-pointers. Rayquan Brown and Sudi McElroy added 12 and 10, respectively.
Both McLennan teams return to action Friday at 6 p.m. The Highlassies travel to Tyler to face the Apaches at 6 p.m. while the Highlanders host the Our Lady of the Lake JV at The Highlands.
McLennan 120, Texas Christian 31
Texas Christian: Tazz Cherry 0 0-0 0; Malia Stigger 0 0-2 0; Jada Anthony 1 3-6 5; Bridget Wright 0 2-6 2; Carmen Rosales 4 2-2 13; Abi Ezmerlian 0 0-2 0; 1 0-0 2; Asia Bradley 3 0-0 7; Brea Collins 0 2-2 2; Totals: 9 9-20 31.
McLennan: Raija Todd 8 1-1 20; Miannah Little 1 4-5 6; Jaidyn Fontenette 1 0-0 2; Ahlura Lofton 8 1-1 14; McKenzie Piper 5 1-2 11; Mele Kailahi 11 5-5 31; Mersadez Nephew 11 3-6 26; Judith Moya 1 0-2 2; Brielle Dorsey 2 0-0 4; Marquise Nelson 1 2-2 4; Mariona Garcia 0 0-0 0; Totals: 49 17-24 120.
3-pointers: Texas Christian 4 (Rosales 3, Bradley 1), McLennan 11 (Kailahi 4, Todd 3, Lofton 3, Nephew 1); Total fouls: Texas Christian 17, McLennan 19; Halftime score: McLennan 65, Texas Christian 12; Record: McLennan 1-0.
McLennan 100, Texas Christian 83
Texas Christian: Jamir Spivey 1 1-3 3; Dkalen Marzett 0 0-0 0; Ahmad Webster 2 1-2 5; John Rivera 8 0-1 19; Shaysten Cornish 4 10-12 20; Tanner Fry 1 0-0 2; Seth Garcia 2 0-0 6; Fernando Alvarado 7 2-2 22; Ken Thompson 0 0-0 0; Derrick Rice 3 0-0 6; Totals: 28 14-20 83.
McLennan: Damarni Velinor-Schumann 0 0-0 0; Dillon Gooding 2 0-2 5; Amani Harris 5 2-2 16; Maurice Harvey 1 0-0 5; Nehemiah Nuckolls 4 0-0 8; Chris Pryor 7 2-2 18; Rayquan Brown 4 0-0 12; Diego Gonzalez 3 1-1 7; Isaiah Placide 4 0-0 9; Asare Otchere 1 0-0 2; Ja'Kyrie Robinson 0 0-0 0; Kirk Smith Jr. 1 2-4 4; Sudi McElroy 5 0-0 10; Jordan Okonji 2 0-0 4; Totals: 40 11-15 100
3-pointers: Texas Christian 13 (Alvarado 6, Rivera 3, Cornish 2, Garcia 2), McLennan 9 (Harris 4, Pryor 2, Placide 1, Harvey 1, Gooding 1,); Total fouls: Texas Christian 15, McLennan 22; Halftime score: McLennan 45, Texas Christian 36; Record: McLennan 1-0.
