McLennan Highlanders top Grayson
The 18th-ranked McLennan Highlanders defeated the Grayson Vikings on the road tonight in Sherman.
It was a low-scoring, back-and-forth first half with neither team holding more than a five-point lead in the 20-minute period. Nick Shogbonyo and Jaylen Thompson led the Highlanders, each scoring eight points in the half. Anthony Williams paced the Vikings, scoring 13. After trading baskets and the lead, McLennan led 25-24 with 6:39 to go in the half. The Highlander shooters went quiet as the Vikings went on a 6-0 run to take the 30-25 lead with 1:21 remaining. Shogbonyo added a basket for the Highlanders with 49 seconds to go to cut the Grayson lead to three at halftime, 30-27.
The second half was much the same for the first 10 minutes of play. McLennan led 47-45 with 10:05 remaining in the game. The Highlanders pulled away with a 9-0 run and took the first double-digit lead with an AJ Barnes bucket with 5:28 to go, 56-45. McLennan slowed the game by using the full shot clock on each possession and playing tight defense on the opposite end of the court. The Highlanders led 58-45 with 3:30 to play. Grayson put together a 5-0 run with a free throw by Kenry Makeny, a pair of free throws by Kye Dickson and a Makeny 3-pointer to cut the lead to seven, 58-51. That would prove to be as close as the Vikings could get.
Omarion Smith led the Highlanders with a double-double, 16 points and 11 rebounds. Nick Shogbonyo scored 15 points and CJ Hall added 13.
McLennan: Nick Shogbonyo 4 7-7 15; CJ Hall 5 1-1 13; Dayvaughn Froe 1 0-0 3; Jaylen Thompson 3 0-0 8; A.J. Barnes 4 0-0 9; Jared Clawson 0 0-0 0; Omarion Smith 7 2-4 16; Mason Lockhart 0 0-0 0; Kaleb Pouncy 0 0-0 0; Khalif Allim 0 0-0 0; Totals: 24 10-12 64.
Grayson: Shakur Smith 2 0-2 4; Anthony Williams 8 3-7 21; Clifton Robinson 3 0-0 6; Kye Dickson 3 4-5 10; Henry Makeny 3 1-2 10; Bryon Armstrong 0 0-0 0; Kamrohn Roundtree 2 0-0 4; Totals: 21 8-16 55.
3-pointers: McLennan 6 (Hall 2, Thompson 2, Froe 1, Barnes 1), Grayson
Total fouls: McLennan12, Grayson ; Halftime score: Grayson 30, McLennan 27; Record: McLennan 23-5 (10-2).