McLennan Basketball had a great day on Sophomore Day at The Highlands with both the Highlanders and Highlassies picking up victories over Grayson
The Highlander defeated the Vikings 82-69 in the late game.
It was a low scoring back-and-forth first half between the Highlanders and Vikings. Grayson led 6-5 with 16:51 to play in the first half. McLennan took a two-point lead on a Xavier Armstead 3-pointer but a 4-0 run put the Vikings back on top. The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half with neither holding more than a three-point lead. Grayson led 33-30 at the half.
Creighton Avery hit a 3-pointer for the Highlanders to tie the game at 33 less than 15 seconds into the second half. Grayson would go back up by three on a Jahmir Williams 3-pointer. McLennan trailed 42-41 with 16:26 remaining in the game. The Highlanders compiled an 8-0 run over the next three minutes to begin creating some distance between the two squads. McLennan led by seven, 49-42, with 13:53 to play. A four-point play by Raymond Kowalski would put the Vikings within three, 49-46. The Highlanders responded with a 10-0 run to build a 13-point lead at the midway point in the half. McLennan would lead by as many as 17 down the stretch. Grayson would cut the lead to 11 with two minutes to go but was unable to pull any closer.
Freshman Creighton Avery led the Highlanders with 16 points. Sophomores Xavier Armstead and Jordan Skipper-Brown scored 15 and 14, respectively.
In the women's game, the Highlassies sailed to a 93-74 victory over the Lady Vikings.
Ny'Asia Goldman began the scoring for McLennan with a pair of free throw. Annya Moss followed that with a nothing-but-net 3-pointer from the elbow to give the Highlassies the early 5-0 lead. Moss and KeeKee Nowlin were hot from 3-point range, both making three from beyond the arc to lead McLennan to a 13-point lead, 29-16 after one quarter of play.
McLennan took control and broke the game open in the second quarter. The Highlassies rattled off a 9-0 run to start the frame and held the Lady Vikings to one field goal in the first five minutes of the period. McLennan led by as many as 24 and held the 52-31 lead at the break.
The Highlassies' dominance continued into the second half. McLennan led by 19, 60-41, with 5:28 to go in the third. A 5-0 run would extend the Highlassies' lead to 24 less than two minutes later. McLennan would led by 27 with a minute to go in the quarter and led 71-49 going to the final period. The fourth quarter was much the same as the Highlassies cruised to an easy victory.
Sophomore KeeKee Nowlin scored a career-high 31 points to lead the Highlassies on Sophomore Day. Freshman Annya Moss and sophomore Anastacia Mickens chipped in 17 and 10, respectively.
McLennan closes out the regular season at Weatherford Wednesday evening. Women's action will tip off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men at 7:30 p.m.
McLennan 82, Grayson 69
Grayson: Jalen Gibson 1 2-2 4; Jahmir Williams 7 5-7 20; Raymond Kowalski 6 3-3 21; Joseph Clark 4 0-0 10; Roman Strickland 0 1-2 1; Camryn Givens 2 0-0 10; Anthony Bradshaw 1 1-2 3; Totals: 21 12-16 69
McLennan: Javen Hedgeman 3 3-4 9; Creighton Avery 7 0-0 16; Jimmie Kelly 0 0-0 0; Mike Adewunmi 0 1-2 1; Kameron Ivory 0 0-0 0; Xavier Armstead 6 0-1 15; Casey Armour 3 2-3 8; Garrett Shaw 1 0-0 2; Devyn Brewton 0 4-4 4; Dayante McClellan 2 0-0 4; Willie Thomas 2 5-6 9; Jordan Skipper-Brown 3 8-8 14; Tevis Stukes Jr. 0 0-0 0; Ja'Lyn Banks 0 0-0 0; Totals: 27 23-28 82.
3-pointers: Grayson 11 (Kowalski 6, Clark 2, Givens 2, Williams 1), McLennan 5 (Armstead 3, Avery 2); Total fouls: Grayson 22, McLennan 14; Fouled out: Grayson (Williams); Halftime score: Grayson 33, McLennan 30; Record: McLennan 21-8 (7-6).
McLennan 93, Grayson 74
Grayson: Nahemiah Johnson 4 7-10 16; Jordan Lewis 4 6-6 15; India Green 3 3-6 11; Manna Mensah 7 7-9 23; Mya Garrett 0 0-0 0; Journey Greene 2 1-2 5; Zaria Dorsey 0 0-0 0; Thallan Howard 2 0-1 4; Totals: 22 24-34 74.
McLennan: Jada McHenry 0 0-0 0; Ny'Asia Goldman 1 2-2 4; Kenidi White 0 0-0 0; Harmony Pettis 1 0-0 2; KeeKee Nowlin 10 8-11 31; Annya Moss 6 0-0 17; Raveen Blue 2 0-0 4; Shequana Jackson 1 0-0 2; Elizabeth Critton 5 5-6 15; Anastacia Mickens 4 2-2 10; Arial Elzie 1 0-2 3; Desirae Devine 2 2-5 6; Totals: 33 19-28 93.
3-pointers: Grayson 6 (Green 2, Mensah 2, Johnson 1, Lewis 1), McLennan 8 (Moss 5, Nowlin 3); Total fouls: Grayson 19, McLennan 27; Halftime score: McLennan 52, Grayson 31; Record: McLennan 13-15 (4-11).
