The McLennan Highlanders topped the North Lake Blazers 77-64 tonight in Irving.
It was a fast-paced game from the opening tip. North Lake's Trey Nelson and McLennan's Cameron Copeland both hit nothing-but-net 3-pointers to start the scoring for their squads. The Blazers took an early six-point lead at 9-3 but the Highlanders came roaring back, using a 9-0 run featuring a dunk and 3-pointer from Akili Vining to take the 12-9 lead with 14:10 to go in the first half. North Lake tied the game at 14 with just under 13 minutes to go and the two teams traded the lead for the next seven plus minutes. The Blazers led 30-26 with 6:28 to play before the half. Another Copeland 3-pointer from the corner started a 13-0 rally putting the Highlanders up 39-30 with two minutes to go. McLennan led by nine 41-32 but a last-second shot by North Lake's Romeo Postell cut the Highlander lead to seven at the half, 41-34.
McLennan led by five with 18 minutes remaining in the game, 43-38. A jumper by Copeland and 3-pointer from the corner by Vining gave the Highlanders their first double-digit lead of the game, 48-38 with 16:53 to play. McLennan controlled the remainder of the game. North Lake rallied to cut the lead to four, 53-49, with 12:12 to play. The Highlanders pulled away, leading by as many as 17 down the stretch to secure the victory.
Akili Vining led McLennan with 28 points and Cameron Copeland added 23. Tre Thomas rounded out the Highlanders in double figures with 12.
McLennan will host Eastfield at 6 p.m. Monday in the final game before the winter break.
McLennan: Akili Vining 11 3-4 28; Cameron Copeland 8 307 23; Chris Pryor 3 0-0 6; Rayquan Brown 0 0-0 0; Tre Thomas 6 0-0 12; Claven Wilson 1 0-2 2; Isaiah Wyatt 1 0-0 2; Tyrese Taylor 2 0-0 4; Scott Ator 0 0-0 0; Totals: 32 6-13 77.
North Lake: Trey Nelson 7 2-4 20; Joe Rollins 0 0-0 0; Neyland Block 1 2-6 5; Chris Craig 5 6-8 14; Enzo Arnold 4 4-4 15; Sam Pilcher 0 0-0 0; Brandon Lewis 0 1-2 1; Edward Zachariah 0 0-0 0; Romeo Postell 1 0-0 2; Kelechi Okpara 2 0-0 4; Totals: 20 15-24 64.
3-pointers: McLennan 7 (Copeland 4, Vining 3), North Lake 9 (Nelson 4, Arnold 3, Block 1, Craig 1); Total fouls: McLennan 15, North Lake 14; Halftime score: McLennan 41, North Lake 34; Record: McLennan 7-6.
