The McLennan Highlassies closed out the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 95-83 loss to the Blinn Lady Buccaneers tonight at The Highlands.
The game was close through the first 17 minutes of play. McLennan's Mele Kaloni Kailahi drove through the lane for a layup to begin the scoring. Briauna Johnson quickly answered with a 3-pointer for Blinn to put the Lady Buccaneers on top early. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Jaidyn Fontenette and Kenidi White would put the Highlassies up by five, 8-3. Blinn's Gabriela Bosquez and Keaundra Eddings combined for a 5-0 run to tie the game at 8 with 6:42 to play in the first quarter. The two teams then traded the lead for the next nine minutes. Blinn led 36-34 with just under three minutes to play in the second quarter. The Lady Buccaneers ended the second period on a 13-2 run to put some space between themselves and the Highlassies at the break, 49-36.
Blinn continued to pull away in the third quarter, leading by as many as 19. The Lady Buccaneers led 70-52 with 2:47 to go in the period. Jade Bradley stepped up to keep the Highlassies in the game, scoring 14 points in the quarter. Bradley and Ny'Asia Goldman combined for a 7-0 run to pull McLennan within 11. Blinn would led 75-63 going into the final period. The Lady Buccaneers opened the fourth on a 5-0 run to extend the lead back to 17, 80-63, but the Highlassies weren't going to be outdone. Bradley and Annya Moss combined for a 6-0 run to pull within 11 once again, 80-69, with 6:58 to play. McLennan cut the lead to 10 on a Bradley free throw but Blinn pulled away again, leading by as many as 17 down the stretch.
Bradley led the Highlassies with 21 points, all coming in the second half. Jaidyn Fontenette scored 17, and Ny'Asia Goldman added 13.
McLennan opens conference play Saturday, hosting Cisco at 2 p.m.
Blinn: Gabriela Bosquez 5 2-5 13; Hailey Atwood 4 4-6 12; Deja Adrian 1 2-2 4; Ah'Jaya Johnson 0 0-0 0; Keaundra Eddings 2 3-4 9; Briauna Johnson 8 1-4 22; Imani Wimbish-Gay 1 0-0 3; Mia Cherry 4 0-0 11; Mariel Wade 0 0-0 0; Jessica Soders 1 0-0 2; Kristine Ezimako 7 0-0 16; Tanea Sims 1 1-1 3; Totals: 34 13-22 95.
McLennan: Raija Todd 0 0-0 0; Ny'Asia Goldman 4 2-4 13; Kenidi White 3 0-0 9; Jaidyn Fontenette 6 2-3 17; Yumon Simien 0 3-4 3; Jade Bradley 8 3-6 21; Mele Kaloni Kailahi 1 2-4 4; Annya Moss 1 6-8 9; Elizabeth Critton 0 3-4 3; Marquise Nelson 0 0-0 0; Seynabou Thiam 2 0-0 4; Totals: 25 21-33 83.
3-pointers: Blinn 14 (B. Johnson 5, Cherry 3, Ezimako 2, Eddings 2, Wimbish-Gay 1, Bosquez 1), McLennan 12 (Goldman 3, White 2, Fontenette 3, Bradley 2, Moss 1); Total fouls: Blinn 26, McLennan 20; Fouled out: Blinn (B. Johnson), McLennan (Bradley); Halftime score: Blinn 49, McLennan 36; Record: McLennan 10-4.
