Highlassies clobber Cisco

It was all McLennan Highlassies Wednesday evening as the squad traveled to Cisco and handed the Lady Wranglers a 73-50 loss in North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference play.

McLennan began the game with focus and determination. Jaylonn Walker drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 9:26 to play in the first quarter to begin the Highlassie onslaught. Chiqueria Cook added a basket from the lane to put McLennan up 5-0. The Highlassies took their first double-digit lead at 15-5 with 18 seconds remaining in the first. McLennan held Cisco to just five free throws in the quarter, and Shekenia Green added a jumper at the buzzer to put McLennan up 17-5 after one quarter of play.

The Highlassies opened the second quarter on an 8-0 run to double the lead to 20. McLennan's defense continued to hold Cisco on the ropes to start the second. A 3-pointer by Breanna Shelton with 6:25 remaining in the first half would be the Lady Wranglers' first field goal of the contest. The Highlassies led by as many as 22 in the period, but a late surge by Cisco trimmed it to 17 at the half, 37-20.

McLennan didn't let up in the second half. Cisco cut the lead to 14 early in the third, but the Highlassies stepped up once again. McLennan led 54-32 with just under five minutes to play in the third and rattled off a 10-3 run to end the period and expand the lead to 29 to start the fourth, 64-45.

Cisco outscored McLennan 15-9 in the final period, including a 9-2 run against the Highlassies' reserves down the stretch, but it was too little too late as McLennan cruised to the convincing victory.

KeeKee Nowlin led the Highlassies with 14 points and Shankia Clark added 10.

McLennan hosts Southwestern Christian in conference play Saturday. Women's action begins at 2 p.m., followed by the men's game at 4 p.m.

McLennan: Patrickia Daily 0 0-0 0; Colandria Haynes 1 4-4 6; JonNá McDonald 2 0-0 6; Shekenia Green 2 4-6 8; Velma Mitchell 3 1-2 9; KeeKee Nowlin 5 3-5 14; Jaylonn Walker 2 2-4 8; Raveen Blue 0 0-0 0; Shankia Clark 4 2-2 10; Nadia Hayes 1 0-2 3; Chiqueria Cook 3 0-0 6; Anndrea Lloyd 1 1-1 3; Totals: 24 17-26 73.

Cisco: Keviona Barber 1 2-4 4; Jackie Allen 0 1-2 1; Rebecca Farmer 12-2 5; Alexis Jones 3 3-5 10; Anacia Simmons 0 0-0 0; Zoe Holmes 1 2-5 4; Anyah Whittington 0 2-2 2; Traeli Calhoun 3 5-7 11; Jayla Jackson 0 1-2 1; Breeana Shelton 5 0-1 12; Totals: 14 18-30 50.

3-pointers: McLennan 8 (McDonald 2, Mitchell 2, Walker 2, Hayes 1, Nowlin 1), Cisco 4 (Shelton 2, Farmer 1, Jones 1); Total fouls: McLennan 27, Cisco 18; Fouled out: McLennan (Lloyd), Cisco (Shelton); Halftime score: McLennan 37, Cisco 20; Record: McLennan 9-7 (2-0).