Highlanders, Highlassies top Weatherford
The ninth-ranked McLennan Highlanders defeated the Weatherford Coyotes 85-80 Saturday afternoon at The Highlands.
Weatherford opened the game with a Richie Mitchell 3-pointer and built a seven-point lead, 27-20, midway through the first half. McLennan rallied to tie the game at 30 on a Shannon Bogues jumper with 7:39 to play. Another Bogues basket less than 20 seconds later put the Highlanders up 32-30. The Coyotes led 45-43 with 38 seconds to go in the half. Aundre Jackson drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 10 seconds left to give McLennan the 46-45 advantage.
The game was close throughout the second half. Weatherford built a 60-55 lead with 12:50 remaining in the game. The Highlanders rallied to tie the game at 62 with 11:09 to go. The Coyotes led 71-68 with 6:49 remaining. McLennan pulled away, using a 9-0 run over the next two minutes to take the 77-71 lead. Weatherford cut the lead to three with a minute to go but couldn't pull any closer.
Jerami Grace led the Highlanders with 30 points. Bogues and Jackson added 20 and 16, respectively.
In women's action, the Highlassies rebounded from Wednesday's heartbreaking loss to Ranger with a 69-55 win over the Weatherford Lady Coyotes.
It was all McLennan to start the game as the Highlassies built an eight-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 15-7. McLennan extended the lead to double digits less than two minutes into the second quarter and led by 12, 26-14, with five minutes to play in the first half. Weatherford rallied late in the quarter, cutting the Highlassies lead to four at the break, 29-25.
The Lady Coyotes rallied in the third to tie the game at 39 with 3:02 remaining in the quarter. McLennan used an 8-0 run to take the 47-39 lead but a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Weatherford's Chynna Rivera cut the lead to five heading into the fourth quarter, 47-42. The Highlassies extended the lead back to 10, 56-46, with 6:21 to play in the game and cruised the rest of the way.
Diamond Ervin led the Highlassies with 21 points and Kyera Coleman added 13. Dariel Johnson and Tayla Taylor scored 11 and 10, respectively.
McLennan 69, Weatherford 55
Weatherford: Chelsea Lamb 4 0-1 11; Severija Narkute 3 0-0 6; Greta Kairyte 2 3-4 7; Chynna Rivera 3 0-0 9; Arelis Cora 3 3-5 9; Kendra Walls 0 2-2 2; Abby Unis 3 1-3 7; Carlee Marques
2 0-0 4; Totals: 20 9-15 55.
McLennan: Kyera Coleman 4 2-3 13; Dariel Johnson 4 0-0 11; Victoria Seay 1 0-0 2; Diamond Ervin 7 6-8 21; Ariana Sanders 1 2-2 5; Raven Ringo 2 0-0 5; Tayla Taylor 4 2-4 10; Tori Thompson 1 0-0 2; Totals: 24 12-17 69.
3-pointers: Weatherford 6 (Lamg 3, Rivera 3), McLennan 9 (Coleman 3, Johnson 3, Ervin 1, Sanders 1, Ringo 1); Total fouls: Weatherford 15, McLennan 17; Fouled out: McLennan (Martin)
Halftime score: McLennan 29, Weatherford 25; Record: McLennan 11-13 (6-3).
McLennan 85, Weatherford 80
Weatherford: Richie Mitchell 2 6-7 11; Josh Tatum 3 3-4 9; Rokas Mazionis 1 0-0 2; Deris Duncan 1- 7-8 30; Elijah Christman 2 2-2 8; Vinko Glavan 2 4-6 8; Granic 5 0-0 12; Totals: 25 22-27 80.
McLennan: Ben Nakwaasah 0 2-2 2; Jerami Grace 10 4-6 30; Shannon Bogues 8 2-2 20; Aundre Jackson 6 3-4 16; Zach Charles 2 2-4 6; Fred Jackson 4 1-2 9; Ricky Curry 1 0-0 2; Totals: 31 14-20 85.
3-pointers: Weatherford 8 (Duncan 3, Granic 2, Christman 2, Mitchell 1), McLennan 9 (Grace 6, Bogues 2, A. Jackson 1); Total fouls: Weatherford 18, McLennan 20; Fouled out: McLennan (Charles); Halftime score: McLennan 46, Weatherford 45; Record: 22-4 (6-2).