In a game that came down to the final minute, the McLennan Highlassies fell to the Angelina Lady Roadrunners 64-62 this evening in Lufkin.
Angelina opened on a 6-0 run to build an early lead as McLennan went scoreless for the first three minutes of the game. A Jade Bradley layup put the Highlassies on the board and they found their rhythm. McLennan cut the lead to three with two minutes left in the quarter, 15-12. A Simran Mayfield bucket in the final 30 seconds of the period put Angelina up 17-12 going into the second quarter.
The Lady Roadrunners started the second quarter on a 5-0 run to take the first double-digit lead of the contest at 22-12. Angelina extended the lead to 12, 26-14, before the Highlassies stepped up their game. McLennan put together a 9-0 highlighted by a Bradley 3-pointer from the top of the key to pull within five, 26-21 with 6:12 to go in the second. Angelina led 30-21 with just under five minutes to play before the half. The Highlassies held the Lady Roadrunners scoreless for the remainder of the quarter and rattled off 12 points, including seven points from Annya Moss, to take the 33-30 lead at intermission.
The Highlassies pulled away in the third quarter behind strong shooting from Bradley. McLennan led by 10, 48-38 with 4:18 to go in the third. Angelina responded with an 8-0 run to pull within two with 1:35 on the clock. The Highlassies ended the quarter on a 4-0 run to lead 52-46 after three.
McLennan was in control for the majority of the fourth quarter, leading by eight, 60-52, with 4:35 to play. Angelina used a 5-0 run to pull within three, 60-57 with three minutes remaining. A layup by Moss extended the lead back to five with 2:36 to go, 62-57. A 3-pointer by Tyeisha Smith and a pair of free throws from Mycah McDonald pulled Angelina within one, 62-61 with just over one minute to play. Lovietta Walker hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 14.2 seconds on the clock to put Angelina up by two 64-62. McLennan went for the win with a 3-pointer in the final seconds but it bounced off the iron.
Jade Bradley led the Highlassies with 18 points. Mele Kaloni Kailahi and Annya Moss scored 17 and 12, respectively.
McLennan: Raija Todd 2 0-1 4; Ny'Asia Goldman 1 0-0 2; Kenidi White 0 0-0 0; Jaidyn Fontenette 0 0-0 0; Yumon Simien 0 0-0 0; Jade Bradley 7 0-0 18; Mele Kaloni Kailahi 6 3-4 17; Annya Moss 4 2-3 12; Elizabeth Critton 2 3-4 7; Seynabou Thiam 1 0-0 2; Totals: 23 8-12 62.
Angelina: Mycah McDonald 1 2-2 4; Tyeisha Smith 6 3-6 16; Simran Mayfield 4 1-2 9; Britney Thompson 2 2-2 7; Mikayla Bailey 0 0-0 0; Derrica Gilbert 2 0-1 4; Lovietta Walker 9 2-2 22; Tia'Sheka Porchia 1 0-0 2; Totals: 25 10-15 64.
3-pointers: McLennan 8 (Bradley 4, Kailahi 2, Moss 2), Angelina 4 (Walker 2, Thompson 1, Smith 1); Total fouls: McLennan 16, Angelina 13; Fouled out: McLennan (Critton); Halftime score: McLennan 33, Angelina 30; Record: McLennan 8-2.
