The 18th-ranked McLennan Highlanders fell to the Ranger Rangers 76-71 this afternoon at The Highlands.
Ranger opened the game on a 5-0 run. McLennan responded with a 5-0 combined of a 3-pointer by CJ Hall and bucket by Nick Shogbonyo. The teams traded baskets with McLennan holding the 12-10 with 11:34 to play in the first half. Ranger began to pull away, using an 11-0 run to take the 21-12 lead with 7:30 to go. The Rangers extended the lead to 12, 30-18, with just over two minutes remaining before the half. A 6-0 run by the Highlanders cut the lead in half but Sincere Scott added a 3-pointer in the final seconds to make it 33-24 Ranger at the break.
Ranger continued to control the game in the second half, extending the lead to 18 at 60-42 with 9:28 to play. McLennan began to rally late in the game. With Ranger leading by 13, 69-56, with just under five minutes to go, the Highlanders went on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to six. McLennan pulled within four at 70-66 with two minutes to go but that was as close as they could get.
CJ Hall led the Highlanders with 19 points. Nick Shogbonyo and AJ Barnes scored 14 and 10, respectively.
Ranger: Cincere Scott 1 0-2 3; Derrick Daniels 4 47- 13; B.J. Comer 2 1-2 6; Shay Davis 4 0-1 12; Tayton Conerway 6 13-16 27; Mykell Robinson 6 0-0 12; Darius Duffy 0 0-0 0; Totals: 23 20-30 75.
McLennan: Nick Shogbonyo 4 6-6 14; CJ Hall 6 2-3 19; Dayvaughn Froe 0 0-0 0; Jaylen Thompson 1 0-1 3; A.J. Barnes 2 6-6 10; Jared Clawson 1 2-2 5; Jahmar Brown 0 0-0 0; Omarion Smith 2 3-4 7; Mason Lockhart 1 2-4 4; Kaleb Pouncy 0 0-0 0; Khalif Allim 3 3-4 9; Totals: 21 24-30 71.
3-pointers: Ranger 9 (Davis 4, Conerway 2, Scott 1, Daniels 1, Comer 1), McLennan 7 (Hall 5, Thompson 1, Clawson 1); Total fouls: Ranger 21, McLennan 24; Fouled out: Robinson (Ranger), Thompson (McLennan); Halftime score: Ranger 33, McLennan 24; Record: McLennan 23-6 (10-3).
