In an epic battle, the Highlassies fell to the Lady Vikings 62-58 in overtime.
It was all Grayson in the first quarter. The Lady Vikings opened on an 11-0 run as the Highlassies struggled offensively. A Kinley Brown layup put McLennan on the board with 32 seconds remaining in the first quarter, and the Highlassies trailed by nine at going into the second quarter, 11-2.
Grayson pushed the lead to 12, 23-11, with 4:22 to play in the second but McLennan began to chip away at the Lady Vikings lead. A Mersadez Nephew three-pointer from the elbow followed by a Kai Finister jumper cut the lead to seven, 23-16 just over a minute later. The Highlassies continued to trail by seven, 25-18, with 1:10 before halftime. Brielle Dorsey banked a shot off the glass and Valisa Millhouse added a pair of free throws to cut the lead to three at intermission, 25-22.
McLennan opened the third quarter on a 6-0 run to take the 28-25 lead. The Highlassies and Lady Vikings traded baskets down the stretch in the third with McLennan holding the 37-36 going into the final quarter. Grayson took the lead on a Sonja Schuch 3-pointer with 5:33 remaining in regulation, 46-43. McLennan rallied and tied the game at 50 with 3:31 to go in the fourth. A pair of Diaka Berete free throws gave Grayson the two-point advantage with 54.9 seconds on the clock. A layup by Kinley Brown with 42 seconds to go tied the game at 52 and forced overtime.
Grayson scored first in the extra period and led by three, 60-57, with 13.8 seconds to go. Mersadez Nephew added a free throw with 9.1 seconds to play to cut the lead to two, 60-58, but Grayson's Daiysha Brown added a pair of free throws in the final seconds to secure the win.
Mersadez Nephew and Kinley Brown led the Highlassies with 13 points each.
McLennan: Valisa Millhouse 1 6-6 8; Miannah Little 1 3-4 5; Demetrius Lewis 0 0-2 0; Jaydyn Bullard 3 0-0 6; Tiarah Starks 0 0-0 0; Mersadez Nephew 5 1-2 13; Kinley Brown 6 1-1 13; Brielle Dorsey 4 1-2 9; Kai Finister 1 2-2 4; Mariona Garcia 0 0-0 0; Totals: 21 14-19 58.
Grayson: Maureen Okoli 0 1-2 1; Taelor Willard 0 2-2 2; Diaka Berete 3 2-2 12; Sonja Schuch 1 0-2 3; Daiysha Brown 3 3-6 9; Fatou Thiam 1 0-0 2; Marta Duda 6 4-8 16; Promise Taylor 7 3-5 17; Totals: 21 15-27 62.
3-pointers: McLennan 2 (Nephew 2), Grayson 3 (Berete 2, Schuch 1); Total fouls: McLennan 21, Grayson 21; Fouled out: McLennan (Bullard), Grayson (Berete); Halftime score: Grayson 25, McLennan 22; Record: McLennan 13-15 (7-9)
