The McLennan Highlanders defeated the Weatherford Coyotes 71-69 in overtime this evening to improve to 14-2 on the season and 8-2 in conference play.
It was a close game from start to finish, as both teams were slow to find their offense. McLennan led 14-11 with 12:48 to play in the first half. Weatherford used a 6-0 run over the next two minutes to lea 17-14 midway through the half. The Highlanders tied the game at 19 on a Maurice Harvey 3-pointer with 9:30 to play in the half and took the lead on a Rayquan Brown bucket in the lane, 21-19. The two teams traded baskets and Weatherford took the lead less than two minutes later. The Coyotes led 32-29 with just under four minutes remaining before halftime. McLennan ended the half on an 8-3 run to lead 37-35 at intermission.
The Highlanders led 41-39 with 17:26 remaining in the game. Weatherford used a 7-0 run to build a five-point lead, 46-41, with 14:41 on the clock. The Coyotes extended the lead to nine, 57-48, before McLennan rallied with a 7-0 run to pull within two. The Highlanders tied the game at 61 with 1:31 remaining in regulation, and the squads headed to overtime. Weatherford quickly went up by two but a Chris Pryor 3-pointer from the elbow gave McLennan the one-point advantage, 66-65. That 3-pointer ignited a 7-0 run to extend the Highlander lead to five, 70-65. Weatherford put together a 4-0 run to pull within one with eight seconds remaining in the extra period but Pryor went 1-2 from the free throw line in the final seconds to seal the win.
The Highlanders spread the wealth on the offensive side of the ball. Maurice Harvey led the way with 14 points and Rayquan Brown chipped in 13. Dillon Gooding and Chris Pryor scored 10 points each.
McLennan: Dillon Gooding4 1-2 10; Maurice Harvey 45-6 14; Nehemiah Nuckolls 4 1-3 9; Chris Pryor 4 1-2 10; Rayquan Brown 6 1-3 13; Diego Gonzalez 4 0-0 9; Asare Otchere 0 0-0 0; Kirk Smith Jr. 2 2-2 6; Totals: 28 11-18 78.
Weatherford: Dillion Bennett 3 4-6 10; Billy Hill 3 0-0 7; Dovydas Pinskus 3 0-0 7; Aaron Herft 6 0-0 15; Konnor Ross 0 0-0 0; Trey Glenn 4 2-2 12; D'Michael Bellfield 4 2-4 10; Jacobi Greenleaf 3 2-3 8; Totals: 26 7-17 69.
3-pointers: McLennan 4 (Gooding 1, Pryor 1, Harvey 1, Gonzalez 1), Weatherford 7 (Herft 3, Glenn 2, Hill 1, Pinskus 1); Total fouls: McLennan 15, Weatherford 14; Fouled out: Weatherford (Bellfield); Halftime score: McLennan 37, Weatherford 35; Record: 14-2 (8-2).
