The McLennan Highlanders fell to the Hill Rebels 79-73 in overtime tonight at The Highlands.
It was a low-scoring first half for both squads. Hill began the scoring with a Julian Williams three-pointer and built a six-point lead at 10-4 with 12:14 to go in the first half. A Jaylen Thompson basket started a 6-0 run for McLennan and the Highlanders, tying the game at 10 midway through the half. McLennan led by one, 16-15, with 6:20 to go before intermission. The Highlanders found an offensive rhythm and began to create some distance over the Rebels. McLennan led 31-26 and pushed it to seven at the break with a steal and buzzer-beating basket by Kaleb Pouncy, 33-26.
A 3-pointer from CJ Hall to start the second half gave McLennan the first double-digit lead of the contest at 36-26. Hill rallied to cut the lead back to three before the Highlanders pulled away again. An AJ Barnes layup put McLennan back up by 10 at 50-40 with 11:11 remaining in the game. Once again, the Rebels rallied behind strong shooting from Gob Gob. Hill took the one-point lead at 56-55 on a Gob layup with 6:36 to go. The Rebels added a bucket to go up by three before a hook shot from Mason Lockhart and 3-pointer from CJ Hall in the corner put the Highlanders back on top, 60-58. Hill took a one-point lead at 64-65 on a Kory Terrell 3-pointer from the corner with 34 seconds to play. Gob Gob added a pair of free throws to put McLennan up by three but a nothing-but-net 3-pointer from Jaylen Thompson with three seconds to play forced the overtime, 67-67.
Hill scored first in the overtime period and led 71-69 with 1:20 to go. Thompson tied the game with a pair of free throws. The Rebels took the lead on an Isaiah Randolph baseline drive with 53.6 seconds on the clock, 73-71. Gob added a pair of free throws with 29.9 to go, 75-71. A Nick Shogbonyo floater on the next possession pulled McLennan within two, 75-73. Muhamed Kante and Terrell both added a pair of free throws to secure the win for Hill.
CJ Hall led McLennan with 21 points. Nick Shogbonyo and Jaylen Thompson added 10 points each.
Hill: Isaiah Randolph 5 0-1 11; Gob Gob 6 4-4 18; Solomon Kuol 1 1-2 4; Kevin Rankin 1 0-0 2; Deng Atak 0 0-0 0; Muhamed Kante 2 2-2 7; Charles Okafor 7 2-3 19; Julian Williams 8 0-2 18; Kory Terrell 0 0-2 2; Totals: 30 9-14 79.
McLennan: Nick Shogbonyo 3 4-4 10; CJ Hall 8 1-1 21; Dayvaughn Froe 3 0-0 7; Jaylen Thompson 3 2-2 10; A.J. Barnes 1 0-0 2; Jared Clawson 3 10-1 7; Jahmar Brown 0 0-0 0; Omarion Smith 3 2-3 8; Mason Lockhart 1 0-0 2; Kaleb Pouncy 2 0-0 4; Khalif Allim 1 0-0 2; Totals: 28 10-11 73.
3-pointers: Hill 10 (Okafor 3, Williams 2, Gob 2, Randolph 1, Kuol 1, Kante 1), McLennan
Total fouls: Hill 10, McLennan 14; Halftime score: McLennan 33, Hill 26; Record: McLennan 19-5 (6-2).
