The McLennan Highlanders closed out the fall portion of their schedule with a 94-78 victory over the Eastfield Harvesters.
Eastfield began the scoring with a long 3-pointer from the elbow by Mike King but that would prove to be the Harvesters only lead of the contest. Forte Prater ignited an 8-0 run by the Highlanders with a pair of steal-and-bucket plays. McLennan pushed the lead to seven but Eastfield didn't back down. The Harvesters pulled within two at 13-11 before the Highlanders pulled away once again with another 6-0 run, 19-11. McLennan continued to lead by eight, 32-25, with 6:06 to play in the first half. The Highlanders held the Harvesters to just one point in the next three minutes while scoring 14 to take the 43-26 lead. McLennan would then hold the 18-point advantage at intermission, 50-32.
Eastfield opened the second half on a short 6-0 run to pull within 12, 50-38, but that would be as close as they could get. The Highlanders pushed the lead to 20, 72-52, midway through the second half. Back to-back 3-pointers from Anthony Hunter and Spencer Simes cut the lead back to 14, 73-59, with 9:20 to go. McLennan responded with a 7-0 run to put the game securely out of reach.
Diego Gonzalez and Kirk Smith Jr. scored 16 points each to lead the Highlanders. CJ Hall and Justin Wilson scored 15 points each.
McLennan will take the court again Dec. 31, following the long holiday break. The Highlanders will host Angelina at 2 p.m. followed by the Highlassies against Coastal Bend at 4 p.m.
McLennan: Forte Prater 3 0-0 6; Dillon Gooding 2 2-2 8; CJ Hall 5 3-5 15; Rommell Williams 0 0-0 0; Anthony Simmons 1 0-0 2; Jayce Wright 0 0-0 0; Nehemiah Nuckolls 3 0-0 6; Chris Pryor 2 3-37; Ahmad Watkins 0 0-0 0; Diego Gonzalez 6 2-4 16; Khalif Allim 0 0-0 0;Cortland Blake 0 0-0 0; Kirk Smith Jr. 7 2-2 16; Javani Brown 3 1-2 6; Justin Wilson 7 1-2 15; Totals:37 14-20 94.
Eastfield: Donald Anderson 1 2-2 5; Mike King 3 0-0 9; Adrian Burns 1 0-0 3; Tyler Jones 0 0-0 0; Jacore Williams 2 0-0 4; Anthony Hunter 4 5-7 17; Deavreion Parks 0 1-2 1; Dawaun Mims 0 0-0 0; Geontray Davis 6 2-3 16; Spencer Simes 5 2-2 13; Keshon Weakley 1 0-0 2; Jarrell King 2 0-0 6; Allante Jackson 0 0-0 0; Jamari Robertson 2 0-0 6; Totals: 25 15-20 78.
3-pointers: McLennan 6 (Gonzalez 2, Gooding 2, Hall 2), Eastfield 13 (Hunter 4, King 3, Davis 2, Robertson 2, Simes 1, Anderson 1); Total fouls: McLennan 20, Eastfield 22; Halftime: McLennan 50, Eastfield 31; Record: McLennan 12-2.
