The eighth-ranked McLennan women's basketball squad fell to the Clarendon Bulldogs 58-54 in the opening round of the Region V Tournament in Weatherford.
It was a fast-paced up-tempo game from the opening tip. Points were hard to come by in the first quarter as both teams saw multiple shots bounce off the iron. McLennan fought for a three3-point lead at the first media timeout with 4:45 to play in the opening quarter, 6-3. A driving basket by Ayisse Magassa pulled Clarendon within one, 6-5, but Jalayah Ingram drained a jumper from the lane for McLennan to go back up by three, 8-5. Aileen Becerril hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key for the Bulldogs to tie the game at eight with 4:33 to go in the quarter. Another 3-pointer by Becerril in the final minute gave Clarendon it's first lead of the game, 11-8. An Alaine Payne floater in the lane for McLennan trimmed the lead to one at the end of the first, 11-10.
Clarendon lead 14-12 with 8:33 to play in the second. An Aysia Ward rebound and put back put McLennan back on top before Becerril hit another 3-pointer, 17-15. A bucket-and-one by Payne put McLennan on top 18-17 with 5:55 to go in the period but Lauryn Williams banked a 3-pointer off the glass to give the Bulldogs the lead just 10 seconds later, 20-18. Clarendon pulled away late in the quarter, taking a five-point lead on a Becerril 3-pointer with 29 seconds to go, 27-22.
McLennan emerged from the locker room fired up, opening on a 4-0 run with a pair of free throws from Niyah Johnson and a put-back bucket by Ward, 27-26. The squad continued to battle and took the one-point lead at 30-29 on a Payne drive with 6:31 to play in the quarter. Clarendon responded with a 5-0 run to take the 34-30 lead less than two minutes later. McLennan pulled within one at 36-35 with one minute to go. The Bulldogs ended the period on a 5-0 run to lead by six going into the fourth, 41-35.
Clarendon continued to hold the momentum, opening on a 4-0 run to push the lead to double digits, 45-35. Payne drained a 3-pointer for McLennan to end the run but Becerril responded with one of her own on the other end of the court, 48-38. A Ward jumper ignited a 6-0 run to pull McLennan within four, 48-44 with 5:45 to go. McLennan continued to rally, pulling within two on a steal and basket by Ward with 2:22 to play 52-50. Clarendon added three free throws by Magassa to go back up by five, 55-50. Johnson added a jumper from the lane with 17 seconds to go to pull McLennan within three but that would be as close as they could get.
Alaina Payne led McLennan with 16 points and Aysia Ward scored 10.
Clarendon: Ta'Leeyah Glynn 2 2-2 6; Ana Vieira 0 0-0 0; Paula Carvalho 0 0-0 0; Lauryn Williams 3 3-4 12; Kya Cook 0 0-0 0; Daria Clet 0 0-0 0; Ayisse Magassa 6 3-6 15; Aileen Becerril 7 0-14 20; Aurore Eyango 1 1-2 3; Alexia Rogers 1 0-0 2; Totals: 20 9-15 58.
McLennan: Aysia Ward 5 0-0 10; Alaina Payne 6 3-4 16; Mersadez Nephew 2 1-3 6; Jalayah Ingram3 3-4 9; Peyton Hearvey 0 0-0 0; Niyah Johnson 3 3-4 9; Aniya Williams 1 2-2 4; Kalisha Phillips 0 0-0 0; Totals: 20 12-17 54.
First Quarter score: Clarendon 12, McLennan 10; Halftime score: Clarendon 27, McLennan 22; Third Quarter score: Clarendon 41, McLennan 35; 3-pointers: Clarendon 9 (Becerril 6, Williams 3), McLennan 2 (Payne 1, Nephew 1); Total fouls: Clarendon 16, McLennan 17; Fouled out: Williams (McLennan), Nephew (McLennan); Record: McLennan 25-6 (14-2).
