The McLennan Highlanders returned from the Thanksgiving break with a 72-61 victory over the North Lake Blazers, the No. 4 team in NJCAA Division III.
McLennan struggled to knock off the cobwebs early on, allowing North Lake open the game on a 4-0 run. A CJ Hall 3-pointer put the Highlanders on the board with 17:24 to go in the first half and cut the lead to one. The Blazers ledby three, 8-5, with 15:21 on the clock. A Chris Pryor layup followed by a Diego Gonzalez 3-pointer from the top of the key gave McLennan its first lead of the game at 10-8. The game was tied at 14 with 9:48 to go in the half. A steal and bucket by Forte Prater started an 8-0 run by the Highlanders to put some distance between themselves and the Blazers, 22-14. McLennan pushed the lead to 14, 30-16, with 2:15 remaining in the half. North Lake rallied late, cutting the lead to six with 6.71 seconds on clock. An off-balanced Justin Wilson bucket at the buzzer gave McLennan the 34-26 advantage at the half.
The Highlanders extended the lead to 12 early in the second before the Blazers found their rhythm again. North Lake rallied to cut the lead to five, 45-40, with 15:45 to play in the game. McLennan led by seven, 56-49, with just over 11 minutes remaining. Another Highlander run, this one 5-0 put them back up by double digits, 61-49. McLennan continued to pull away, extending the lead to 17, 68-51. The Blazers got back within 10 with just over a minute to go but that is as close as they would get.
Justin Wilson led the Highlanders with a double-double, 19 points and 10 rebounds. Forte Prater added 14 points.
Next up for the Highlanders: Concordia JV, 1 p.m. Saturday at The Highlands
North Lake: Tucker Smothermon 0 0-0 0; Jamatthew McGhee 1 0-0 3; Braeson Barrs-Richardson 2 0-0 5; Ori Limbrick 0 0-0 0; Jacory Dawkins 2 0-0 4; Darion Jones 1 2-2 4; Cailean Ables 3 2-5 9; J'Shaun Johnson 2 0-0 5; Nico Matheus 0 0-0 0; Gregory Crawford 10 7-9 27; Daryan Williams 2 0-3 4; Xander Cherne 0 0-0 0; Totals: 23 11-19 61.
McLennan: Forte Prater 5 2-3 14; Dillon Gooding 1 0-0 3; CJ Hall 2 2-2 7; Jayce Wright 0 0-0 0; Nehemiah Nuckolls 2 1-2 5; Chris Pryor 3 0-0 8; Diego Gonzalez 3 1-2 9; Khalif Allim 0 0-0 0; Cortland Blake 0 0-0 0; Kirk Smith Jr. 2 3-3 7; Justin Wilson 9 1-7 19; Totals: 27 10-19 72.
3-pointers: North Lake 4 (McGhee 1, Barrs-Richardson 1, Ables 1, Johnson 1), McLennan 8 (Prater 2, Pryor 2, Gonzalez 2, Gooding 1, Hall 1); Total fouls: North Lake 20, McLennan 18; Fouled out: North Lake (Dawkins, Williams); Record: McLennan 11-2.
