McLennan women conquer Vikings

The eighth-ranked McLennan women's basketball squad defeated the Grayson Vikings 66-56 in conference play tonight at The Highlands.
 
McLennan started the game on fire, winning the opening tip and sinking a Hannah Mouton layup less than five seconds into the contest. Grayson got on the board with a basket by Tahlaya Biglow under a minute later. Danai Lewis then banked a shot of the glass for McLennan to start an 8-0 run, 10-2. A Susan Fahnbulleh 3-pointer for the Vikings paused the McLennan momentum momentarily but McLennan was able to push the lead to nine by the end of the period, 16-7.
 
Grayson opened the second period on a 5-0 run to pull within four, 16-12, with nine minutes to play before the half. McLennan took control from that point, using an 8-0 run over the next five minutes to extend the lead back to double digits, 24-12. Another Grayson 3-pointer halted the run. McLennan ended on a 6-0run including four free throws from Ingram to lead 32-15 at the break.
 
The Vikings had the momentum to start the second half, battling to cut the McLennan lead to four midway through the third quarter, 35-31. That would be as close as Grayson could get. McLennan kept an arm's-length lead into the final quarter. Leading by seven, 50-43, McLennan rattled off a 12-2 run over a two-minute span to go up by 17, 62-45. Grayson rallied late to cut the lead back to 10 but ran out of time to complete a comeback.
 
Jalayah Ingram led McLennan with 16 points. Charnelle Hoof and Tajenae Gooden scored 13 each, and Kennedi Ard added 11.
 
Grayson: Diana Letaru 2 0-0 4; Tahlaya Biglow 3 0-1 6; Madison Carter 6 1-2 17; Madison Martin 0 0-0 0; Susan Fahnbulleh 1 2-4 5; Ella Hamlin 4 0-1 10; Kayla Jones 4 3-4 14; Totals: 20 6-12 56.
 
McLennan: Hannah Mouton 1 0-0 2; Jalayah Ingram 4 8-9 16; Andrea Johnson 0 2-2 2; Daija Mitchell 0 0-0 0; Kennedi Ard 4 0-0 11; Charnelle Hoof 6 1-3 13; Tajenae Gooden 6 0-0 13; Taylor Craver 0 4-4 4; Tyla Roberts 0 0-0 0; Amerie Flowers 0 0-0 0; Danai Lewis 2 1-2 5; Totals: 23 16-20 66.
 
First Quarter score: McLennan 16, Grayson 7; Halftime score: McLennan 32, Grayson 15; Third quarter score: McLennan 47, Grayson 37; 3-pointers: Grayson 10 (Carter 4, Jones 3, Hamlin 2, Fahnbulleh 1), McLennan 4 (Ard 3, Gooden 1); Total fouls: Grayson 19, McLennan 20; Fouled out: Hamlin (Grayson); Record: McLennan 16-0 (4-0).