Highlanders fall to #8 South Plains in regional championship

The McLennan Highlanders fell to 8th-ranked South Plains Texans 87-78 this afternoon at in the Region V Championships. But, the Highlanders season may not be done. McLennan will wait on Sunday's NJCAA Division I National Championship bracket announcement with hopes of receiving one of the eight at-large bids up for grabs.
 
South Plains opened the game with an alley-oop to Arterio Morris to begin the scoring but not to be out done, the Highlanders responded with a nothing-but-net 3-pointer by Amare Banks from the top of the key to take the lead. Another alley-oop by the Texans, this tine to Tavaj Cope, put the them back on top 4-3. Once again it was Banks that stepped up for McLennan with a 3-pointer from the wing 6-4. McLennan took control, extending the lead to 10, 18-8 with14:35 to play in the first half. The Texans battled and took the lead with a John Awoke 3-pointer from the corner with 7:49 on the clock. The Highlanders put together a 5-0 run, including a put-back by Evan Chatman followed by another Banks 3-pointer to go up 322 less than a minute later. South Plains responded with an 11-0 run to take its largest lead of the half, 40-32 with 3:35 to play. McLennan cut the lead back to three but the Texans were able to extend it to six at the break, 43-37.
 
The Highlanders came out firing with Ari Gooch draining a 3-pointer less than 20 seconds into the second half. The teams continued to battle back and forth. South Plains would extend the lead back to six, and McLennan would respond to trim the lead back to three. The Texans pushed the lead to nine, 60-51 with 13:14 remaining in the game. A 5-1 run by Chatman for the Highlanders trimmed that lead to five with 11:54 to go. South Plains pulled away, extending the lead to 13 at 79-66 with 6:02 to play. McLennan would cut the lead back to six but that would be as close as they would get.
 
Chatman led McLennan with a double-double, 29 points and 12 rebounds. Gooch scored 15.
 
McLennan:Rontavious Blackshear 1 0-0 3; Joseph Mayberry 2 1-2 5; Kardae Turner 0 0-0 0; Amare Banks 6 5-6 20; Ari Gooch 5 2-2 15; Keegan Rowell 0 0-0 0; Evan Chatman 10 5-8 29; Frederick Rogers, III 3 0-0 6; Joe Burgess 0 0-2 0; Maximilian Blank 0 0-0 0; Totals: 27 13-20 78.
 
South Plains: John Awoke 2 1-2 7; Arterio Morris 5 3-7 13; Tavaj Cope 3 3-4 9; Issac Taveras 4 2-5 10; Caleb Blackwell7 6-6 25; Devontes Cobbs 0-0 0; IJ Ezuma 4 1-2 9; Jalen Ricks 4 1-2 12; Didier Maleng 1 0-0 2; Totals: 30 17-28 87.
 
Halftime score: South Plains 43, McLennan 37; 3-pointers: McLennan 11 (Chatman 4, Banks 3, Gooch 3, Blackshear 1), South Plains 10 (Blackwell 5, Ricks 3, Awoke 2); Total fouls: McLennan 19, South Plains 18; Fouled out: Mayberr (McLennan); Record: McLennan 27-6 (12-2).