In a low-scoring battle of two strong basketball programs, the McLennan Highlanders defeated the Navarro Bulldogs 50-42 in Corsicana.
McLennan struck first with a Justin Wilson bucket off the glass. Navarro's first three points came from the three throw line as the Highlanders kept the Bulldogs without a field goal for over four minutes to start the game. The score was tied at six with 16:04 to go in the first half. Navarro took the lead at 8-6 on a Sabry Phillip basket with 15:45 on the clock. McLennan responded with a CJ Hall 3-pointer from the elbow that ignited a 11-0 Highlander run to take the 17-8 lead with 11:31 to go. McLennan continued to lead by nine, 19-10, with 7:15 to go in the first half. Navarro began to rally and ended the half on 15-1 run to take the 25-20 advantage at the break.
The Highlanders stepped up the game to start the second half, opening on a 10-0 run to build a five-point lead with 16:34 to play in the game, 30-25. McLennan held the Bulldogs to one field goal in the first eight minutes of the half. Navarro cut the lead to three, 34-31, with 11:49 to play. The Highlanders pulled away with an 8-0 run to take the first double-digit lead at 42-31. The Bulldogs began to rally again, trimming the lead to five with just under four minutes to go, 44-39. McLennan ended the game on a 6-3 run to hold off Navarro and secure the win.
Diego Gonzalez led the Highlanders with 12 points.
McLennan returns to action Friday, traveling to face Richland at 4 p.m. in the Joe White Classic on the campus of Hill College.
McLennan: Forte Prater 3 0-3 8; Dillon Gooding 2 0-0 5; CJ Hall 2 13 7; Rommell Williams 0 1-2 1; Jayce Wright 0 0-0 0; Nehemiah Nuckolls 1 2-2 4; Chris Pryor 2 3-4 7; Diego Gonzalez 3 6-6 12; Khalif Allim 0 0-0 0; Cortland Blake 0 0-0 0; Kirk Smith Jr. 1 0-0 2; Javani Brown 0 0-0 0; Justin Wilson 2 0-2 4; Totals: 16 13-22 50.
Navarro: Colin Schaefer 1 0-1 2; Addarin Scott 2 1-4 5; Sabry Philip 3 1-2 8; Antonee Abraham 0 1-2 1; Babacar Diallo 0 2-2 2; Xavier Pina 0 0-0 0; Terrance Thompson 5 0-1 13; Makur Jongkuch 0 0-0 0; Collins Onyeike 0 0-0 0; Justin Thomas 3 2-2 11; Totals: 14 7-15 42.
3-pointers: McLennan 5 (Prater 2, Hall 2, Gooding 1), Navarro 7 (Thomas 3, Thompson 3, Philip 1); Total fouls: McLennan 17, Navarro 21; Record: McLennan 6-0.
