the McLennan Highlassies fell to the Weatherford Lady Coyotes in the final minutes of a back-and-forth battle.
McLennan opened on a 4-0 run with a free throw from Kinley Brown and nothing-but-net 3-pointer from Mersadez Nephew. Weatherford got on the board with a jumper from Adela Valkova with 7:13 to go in the quarter. The Highlassies responded with a 6-0 run capped off by a Brown 3-pointer from the elbow to take the 10-2 lead midway through the period. Weatherford began to rally and took the 11-10 lead on a Mikayla Green 3-pointer with three minutes to go in the first. The teams traded baskets and the lead with the Lady Coyotes holding the 17-16 lead going into the second quarter.
Weatherford pushed the lead to five, 23-18, with 8:26 to play in the second. The Lady Coyotes continued to lead by five at 25-20 less than a minute later. McLennan stepped up the pace and fought back to tie the game at 27 with 5:48 to go before halftime. The Highlassies continued to rally and took the 38-33 lead on a Miannah Little drive through the lane with 3:10 to play. Weatherford also rallied down the stretch and tied the game at 40 but a Brown bucket in the final seconds put McLennan up 42-40 at the break.
The Highlassies led by three, 50-47, with 6 :28 to go in the third quarter. Weatherford used a 12-3 run to build a six-point lead at 59-53 with two minutes to play in the third. McLennan the ended the quarter on a 6-1 run to cut the lead to one going into the fourth quarter, 60-59. Once again, the teams traded the lead and the Highlassies led 68-66 with 6:52 to play. Weatherford pulled away, using a 14-0 run. McLennan pulled within eight late in the quarter but was unable to recover.
Miannah Little led McLennan with 20 points and Mersadez Nephew added 14. Kinley Brown and Brielle Dorsey added 13 and 11, respectively.
McLennan and Weatherford will face off again Wednesday in Waco with the women's game at 5 p.m. and the men's game at 7 p.m.
McLennan: Valisa Millhouse 3 0-0 8; Miannah Little 8 4-5 20; Demetrius Lewis 0 0-0 0; Jaydyn Bullard 0 0-0 0; Tiarah Starks 1 0-0 2; Mersadez Nephew 4 3-3 14; Kinley Brown 5 2-4 13; Brielle Dorsey 5 1-2 11; Kai Finister 1 1-1 3; Mariona Garcia 2 1-2 5; Totals: 29 12-16 76.
Weatherford: Zamoria McGrue 1 2-2 4; Helena Svilberg 3 1-2 7; Celise Bobbitt 8 4-5 20; Adreanna Waddle 2 2- 6; Shomyra Francis 5 1-2 11; Mikayla Green 7 2-2 21; Adela Valkova 4 2-2 10; Briarley Rogers3 0-0 8; Totals: 33 14-18 87.
3-pointers: McLennan 6 (Nephew 3, Millhouse 2, Brown 1), Weatherford 7 (Green 5, Rodgers 2); Total fouls: McLennan 16, Weatherford 15; Fouled out: McLennan (Brown); Halftime score: McLennan 42, Weatherford 40; Record: McLennan 11-11 (5-5).
