The McLennan Highlassies extended their winning streak to five as they squeaked by the Coastal Bend Lady Cougars 63-55 at the Temple Classic.
It was a low-scoring first quarter. Coastal Bend began the scoring on a Deysta Wilbert-Bradsher bucket less than 30 seconds into the contest. McLennan remained scoreless for the first 3:15 of the game. A Desirae Devine shot in the lane put the Highlassies on the board and started an 8-0 run to give MCC the 8-2 lead with 4:17 to play in the first. Back-to-back 3-pointers by the Lady Cougars quickly tied the game at eight and the game would be tied at 10 after one quarter of play.
The Highlassies' Anastacia Mickens drained four free throws to start the second. McLennan increased the lead to five, 18-13, with 4:26 to play in the first half. Coastal Bend pulled within one, 20-19, with 2:45 to go. The Highlassies put together an 8-0 run to take the largest lead of the first half, 28-19, with 42 seconds left. The Lady Cougars ended the period on a 4-0 run to trim the McLennan lead to five at the break, 28-23.
McLennan began to build a small cushion in the third, opening on a 6-0 run. The Highlassies led by 13, 44-31, midway through the third quarter and took a 10-point lead into the final period, 49-39.
Coastal Bend stepped up in the fourth quarter and made a run of its own. McLennan went the first 5:12 of the fourth without scoring, allowing the Lady Cougars to put together a 9-0 run to trim the Highlassies lead to one, 49-48. McLennan found the goal once again with Harmony Pettis, Annya Moss and KeeKee Nowlin putting together a 5-0 run. The Highlassies led by three, 58-55, with just over a minute to play and ended the game on a 5-0 run to seal the win.
KeeKee Nowlin led McLennan with 14 points and Anastacia Mickens scored 12.
McLennan will compete in the Coastal Bend Classic Thursday through Saturday in Beeville. The Highlassies will face Kilgore at 4 p.m. Thursday, Southwest Texas at 11 a.m. Friday and Palo Alto at 5 p.m. Saturday.
McLennan: Jada McHenry 1 0-0 3; Ny'Asia Goldman 0 0-0 0; Kenidi White 1 0-0 2; Gabby Cleveland 2 2-4 6; Harmony Pettis 1 0-0 2; KeeKee Nowlin 3 8-9 14; Annya Moss 2 1-2 7; Janeisha Mosley 1 1-4 3; Raveen Blue 0 0-0 0; Shequana Jackson 0 0-0 0; Elizabeth Critton 2 2 2-2 6; Anastacia Mickens 4 4-6 12; Desirae Devine 4 0-1 8; Totals: 21 18-28 63.
Coastal Bend: Aubrey Guerra 4 0-0 12; Olivia Chisolm 0 0-0 0; Francheska Aguino 1 0-0 2; Jada Mitchell 1 1-2 3; Angelina Barela 3 5-5 11; Marley Martinez 0 2-2 2; Deysta Wilbert-Bradsher 4 2-2 10; Emiko Hemphill 7 0-0 15; Totals: 20 10-10 55.
3-pointers: McLennan 3 (Moss 3, McHenry 1), Coastal Bend 5 (Guerra 4, Hemphill 1); Total fouls: McLennan 16, Coastal Bend 22; Halftime score: McLennan 28, Coastal Bend 23; Record: McLennan
