It was a rough and tough, fast-paced battle between the McLennan Highlanders and the Angelina Roadrunners tonight in Lufkin, with the Highlanders coming away with the 92- 78 victory.
McLennan struggled to find an offensive rhythm early, allowing the Angelina to jump out to a 9-2 lead with 16:25 to play in the first half. The Highlanders fought back, tying the game at 12 with 11:39 on the clock. McLennan took the lead when Mike Adewunmi banked a shot off the glass with just over 11 minutes to go. The Highlanders and Roadrunners traded baskets and the lead for the next five minutes and were tied once again, this time at 27, with 6:50 to go before the half. Devyn Brewton hit a pair of free throws and Xavier Armstead drained a 3-pointer from the elbow to give the Highlanders a five-point lead, 32-27, with six minutes on the clock. Angelina rallied again tying the game at 32 less than two minutes later. McLennan led 39-38 with a minute to play and ended the half on a 4-0 run with baskets by Adewunmi and Javen Hedgeman to take the 43-38 lead into the locker room.
The game remained close through the majority of the second half. Angelina took a one-point lead, 57-56, on a pair of Da'Vaughn Gauno free throws with 12:21 remaining in the game. McLennan responded with a Casey Armour slam and began to pull away, extending the lead to five midway through the period. The Highlanders led 74-69 with 7:23 to go. McLennan rattled off an 11-0 run over the next three minutes capped off by another Armstead 3-pointer to put the game away.
Xavier Armstead led McLennan with 28 points. Dayante McClellan and Mike Adewunmi scored 15 points each, and Javen Hedgeman added 13.
McLennan will compete in the Joe White Classic hosted by Hill College this weekend. The Highlanders will face DFW Prep at 5 p.m. Friday and Strength in Motion Saturday at 3 p.m.
McLennan 92, Angelina 78
McLennan: Javen Hedgeman 5 2-5 13; Jimmie Kelly 0 0-0 0; Mike Adewunmi 3 9-10 15; Xavier Armstead 8 10-11 28; Casey Armour 2 1-2 5; Garrett Shaw 0 2-2 2; Devyn Brewton 3 2-2 8; Dayante McClellan 6 3-5 15; Willie Thomas 0 0-0 0; Jordan Skipper-Brown 2 2-4 6; Totals: 29 31-41 92.
Angelina: Kevin Norman 8 4-7 24; Markus Stevenson 0 0-0 0; Yosani Clay 3 0-0 7; Ovidio Perez 0 0-0 0; Da'Vaughn Gauno 4 11-17 21; Draylon Brown 3 2-2 9; Hunter Janacek 1 0-0 3; Chris Simmons 0 0-2 0; Walter Prevost 1 3-6 5; Braxton Foreman 0 0-0 0; Cedric Ward 3 0-1 6; Cameron Hart 1 0-0 3; Totals: 24 20-25 78.
3-pointers: McLennan 3 (Armstead 2, Hedgeman 1), Angelina 10 (Norman 4, Gauno 2, Clay 1, Brown 1, Janacek 1, Hart 1); Total fouls: McLennan 26, Angelina 28; Fouled out: McLennan (Skipper-Brown, McClellan, Brewton), Angelina (Clay, Janacek); Halftime score: McLennan 42, Angelina 38; Record: McLennan 4-0.
