The McLennan Highlassies fell to the Angelina Roadrunners 78-61 this evening in their final tune-up before the start of conference play.
It was a tale of two quarters for the two teams in the first half. Angelina dominated the first quarter. The Lady Roadrunners opened the game on a 12-2 run to take the double-digit lead with 5:17 to play in the first quarter and extended the lead to 13 going into the second period, 22-9.
Angelina opened the second on a 6-0 run to take the 19-point lead at 28-9 with 7:07. Sophomore Raveen Blue came off the bench and provided a much-needed spark for the Highlassies. Blue scored 14 points in the frame, including four 3-pointers to ignite the McLennan offense and pull the Highlassies within six, 33-27, with 1:48 remaining in the half. A pair of buckets from freshmen Gabby Cleveland and Shequana Jackson would get the Highlassies within two but Angelina's Natasha Mack made it a three-point Lady Roadrunner lead at the break, 34-31.
Momentum swung back to Angelina in the third. The Lady Roadrunners outscored the Highlassies 24-10 in the period with all 10 of McLennan's points coming from the charity stripe. The basket was open for McLennan again in the fourth. Angelina extended its lead to 22 before the Highlassies began to rally. Trailing by 20, 70-50 with 5:25 to play, McLennan put together a 6-0 run to trim the lead to 14 but that would prove to be as close as it would get.
Raveen Blue led the Highlassies with 21 points and KeeKee Nowlin added 16.
McLennan opens conference play Monday, travelling to Cisco for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.
Angelina: Teeonna Barkley 0 0-0 0; Simran Mayfield 2-2 6; Natasha Mack 10 7-9 27; Britney Thompson 3 0-0 6; Taylor Jacob 3 3-4 12; Mia Perkins 5 0-0 10; Arianna Garry 1 0-2 2; Shelby Brown 0 0-0 0; Mia Williams 5 0-0 12; Diamond Johnson 1 0-0 3; Totals: 30 13-19 78.
McLennan: Jada McHenry 0 0-0; Ny'Asia Goldman 0 3-4 3; Kenidi White 1 0-0 2; Gabby Cleveland 1 1-2 3; Harmony Pettis 1 2-3 4; KeeKee Nowlin 2 12-14 16; Annya Moss 0 0-0 0; Raveen Blue 8 0-1 21; Shequana Jackson 2 1-2 5; Anastacia Mickens 1 1-2 3; Desirae Devine 1 2-2 4; Totals: 17 22-30 61.
3-pointers: Angelina 5 (Jacob 3, M. Williams 2), McLennan 5 (Blue 5); Total fouls: Angelina 18, McLennan16; Fouled out: McLennan (Devine); Halftime score: Angelina 34, McLennan 31; Record: 9-3.
