The McLennan Highlanders defeated the Grayson Vikings 97-87 in the final home game of the season.
It was a back-and-forth battle between the McLennan Highlanders and the Grayson Vikings tonight in the final home game of the season at The Highlands.
Daylon Dickerson began the scoring for McLennan with a pair of free throws 15 seconds into the game. Grayson responded with a 7-0 run to lead by five., 7-2. The Highlanders rallied with an 11-1 run, including seven points from Jaden Juarez, to lead 13-8 with 15:20 to play in the first half. McLennan kept the Vikings at arm's length for the next three minutes, leading 21-16. Baskets from Aaron Lemon-Warren and Terrance Ramirez cut the lead to one, 21-20. The game was tie at 23 midway through the half. McLennan went on 8-0 run highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers by Nick Shogbonyo and Juarez. Gum Majak went on an 8-0 run of his own to tie the game at 31. The teams traded the lead from that point on with McLennan holding a one-point advantage at halftime, 43-42.
The Highlanders led by four several times early in the second half but the game was tied at 62 with 10:40 to play. Grayson added a 3-pointer from Lemon-Warren to go up 65-62. Shogbonyo's jumper started a 9-0 Highlander run that put McLennan up 71-65. McLennan continued to rally, taking the double digit lead at 77-67 on a Jaden Walker 3-pointer with 5:41. The Highlanders led by as many as 15 down the stretch, securing the win at the free throw line.
Jaden Juarez led the Highlanders with 24 points and Daylon Dickerson scored. 22. Cameron Crockett added 16 and Antwone Gonzales scored 14. Jaden Walker rounded out the Highlanders in double figures with 11.
Grayson: Ronny Raphael6 2-3 16; Terrance Ramirez 6 5-7 19; Chol Deng 6 3-3 15; Preston Gayle 0 0-0 0; Gum Majak 5 6-7 16; Jayden Garces 1 0-0 2; Aaron Lemon-Warren 5 1-2 14; Croix Cox 2 1-2 5; Totals: 31 18-24 87.
McLennan: Daylon Dickerson 7 6-9 22; Nick Shogbonyo 1 5-6 8; Jaden Juarez 7 8-9 24; Antwone Gonzales 5 1-2 14; Landon Anderson 1 0-0 2; Cameron Crockett 3 10-12 16; Jaden Walker 3 2-2 11; Totals: 27 32-40 97.
Halftime score: McLennan 43, Grayson 42; 3-pointers: Grayson 6 (Lemon-Warren 3, Ramirez 2, Raphael 1), McLennan 11 (Walker 3, Dickerson 3, Juarez 2, Dickerson 2, Shogbonyo 1); Total fouls: Grayson 25, McLennan 22; Fouled out: Walker (McLennan), Garces (Grayson), Majak (Grayson); Record: McLennan 18-10 (5-7).
