Highlassies squeak by Southern-Shreveport

The McLennan Highlassies opened 2017 with a 57-56 win over the Southern-Shreveport Lady Jaguars in the final game of day one of the McLennan Shootout. 

The two teams appeared evenly matched through the first quarter with neither team holding more than a four-point lead. The game was tied at 18 heading into the second quarter. Both teams struggled to start the second. The Highlassies scored the first points of the quarter on a Velma Mitchell jumper with 7:26 to play. McLennan extended the lead down the stretch and held the 32-25 advantage at the break. 

The Highlassies took the first double-digit lead of the game at 40-30 with 6:23 to play in the third quarter. The Lady Jaguars trimmed the lead to six several times in the final minutes of the quarter, and McLennan led 49-42 going into the final period. Southern-Shreveport's Brown drained a 3-pointer from the corner with 8:34 remaining in the game to cut the McLennan lead to four. The Highlassies quickly extended the lead to eight before the Lady Jaguars began to rally. Southern-Shreveport took a one-point lead, 56-55, on a McCoy layup with 46 seconds remaining in the game. Nadia Hayes drained a pair of free throws for McLennan with 20 seconds to go to secure the win.

Mitchell led the Highlassies with 19 points and Hayes added 10.

McLennan 57, Southern-Shreveport 56

Southern-Shreveport: McCoy 4 3-3 11; Clifton 4 0-0 11; Taylor 0 0-0 0; Brown 1 1-2 4; Lloyd 0 0-0 0; McHenry 1 0-0 3; Jenkins 8 4-6 20; Whaley 3 0-0 5; Hill 0 0-0 0; Totals: 20 8-11 56.

McLennan: Patrickia Daily 2 0-0 6; Dariel Johnson 4 0-0 8; Jordan Mullins 1 0-0 2; Velma Mitchell 5 9-9 19; Jaylonn Walker 2 0-0 6; Nadia Haynes 3 4-4 10; Ashley Moore 0 0-0 0; Desirae Devine 3 0-0 6; Totals: 20 13-13 57.

3-pointers: Southern-Shreveport 6 (Clifton 3, Lloyd 1, McHenry 1, Whaley 1), McLennan 4 (Daily 2, Walker 2); Total fouls: Southern-Shreveport 13, McLennan 11; Halftime score: McLennan 32, Southern-Shreveport 25; Record: McLennan 6-7.