The McLennan Highlanders destroyed the Hill Rebels on the opening night of North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference play, cruising to a 70-38 lop-sided victory.
McLennan jumped out to an early five-point lead at 9-4 but a 5-0 run by the Rebels tied the game at nine. The Highlanders turned on the gas with a 19-2 run spanning over six minutes to build a 17-point lead, 28-11 with 7:13 to go in the first half. Antwone Gonzales was hot for the Highlanders, scoring 11 consecutive points down the stretch, and McLennan led 37-19 at intermission.
The Highlanders continued to dominate in the second half, steadily increasing the lead as the swarming defense kept the Rebels off balance. Hill managed to score just seen points in the first 10 minutes of the half. The Rebels hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possession midway through the half but the game was already out of reach. McLennan pushed the lead to 36 late in the game and coasted to the win.
Daylon Dickerson recorded the double-double for McLennan with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Nick Shogbonyo and Antwone Gonzales scored 150 and 13, respectively. Mason Lockhart added 12, and Jaden Juarez scored 10.
Hill: Isaiah Randolph 4 0-0 8; Gob Gob 3 0-0 8; Solomon Kuol 2 0-0 5; Kevin Rankin 1 2-2 4; Knowledge Ruben 1 1-2 3; Allen Omana 1 0-0 2; Benjamin Ezeagu 3 2-2 8; Donta Bonds 0 0-0 10; Cameron Estill 0 0-3 0; Terrence East 0 0-0 0; Daniel Hutson 0 0-0 0; Kory Terrell 0 0-0 0; Totals: 15 5-9 38.
McLennan: Daylon Dickerson 8 2-2 18; Nick Shogbonyo 5 2-2 15; Jaden Juarez 4 0-0 10; Jhaden Brown 0 0-0 0; Antwone Gonzales 5 0-0 13; Landon Anderson 1 0-0 3; Cameron Crockett 0 0-0 0; Jaden Walker 0 0-0 0; Mason Lockhart 4 4-4 12; Totals: 27 8-8 70
Halftime score: McLennan 37, Hill 19; 3-pointers: Hill 3 (Gob 2, Kuol 1), McLennan9 (Shogbonyo 3, Gonzales 3, Juarez 2); Total fouls: Hill 16, McLennan14; Fouled out: Rankin (Hill); Record: McLennan 14-3 (1-0).
