The McLennan Highlanders squeaked out a 70-65 win over the Southwestern Christian tonight at The Highlands.
It was a back-and-forth first half between the Highlanders and Rams with neither team holding more than a four-point lead in the half. Cameron Crockett began the scoring with a pair of free throws for McLennan. Southwest Christian used a 5-0 run to take a 3-point lead but a Nick Shogbonyo 3-pointer tied the game at five. The teams traded baskets with the Rams lead 15-13 with 11:36 to play in the first half. A Shogbonyo jumper started a 6-0 McLennan run that put the Highlanders up by four, 19-15. A pair of Southwestern Christian 3-pointers put the Rams back on top, 21-20 just a minute later. The teams continued to alternate scoring with Southwestern Christian leading by three at the half, 35-32.
Southwestern Christian opened the second half with a Jamarion Brown 3-pointer to push the lead to six. McLennan chipped away, pulling within one on a jumper by Shogbonyo jumper with 15:28 to play in the game. The Rams pulled away, taking the first double-digit lead at 63-53 with 6:44 to go in the game. An 11-0 Highlander run highlighted by five points from Jaden Juarez gave McLennan the 64-63 lad with two minutes to play. A layup by Shogbonyo and an Antwone Gonzales floater made it a five-point Highlander lead with one minute to go. Southwestern Christian's Jamarion Brown added a layup to cut the lead to three with 30 seconds to go. Shogbonyo added a pair of free throws to secure the win.
Nick Shogbonyo led the Highlanders with 22 points, and Jaden Juarez scored 17. Antwone Gonzales and Daylon Dickerson added 13 and 10, respectively.
Southwestern Chrstian: Jamari Lawrence 6 0-0 16; Wryan Williams 1 0-0 2; Xavier Brown 1 0-0 2; Anariss Brandon 1 0-1 2; Kainan Thompson 4 3-5 14; Dylon Richardson 2 0-1 4; Jamarion Brown 6 0-0 15; Nathaniel 3 0-0 8; Kasai Burton 0 0-0 0; Kayden Crosby 1 0-0 2; Totals: 25 3-7 65.
McLennan: Daylon Dickerson 4 2-4 10; Nick Shogbonyo 6 9-11 22; Jaden Juarez 5 7-11 17; Antwone Gonzales 5 3-5 13; Landon Anderson 0 1-2 1; Cameron Crockett 1 2-2 4; Jaden Walker 1 0-0 3; Totals: 22 24-35 70.
Halftime score: Southwestern Christian 35, McLennan 32; 3-pointers: 12 (Lawrence 4, Thomas 3, Brown 3, Nathaniel 2), McLennan 2 (Shogbonyo 1, Walker 1); Total fouls: Southwestern Christian 23, McLennan 10; Fouled out: Brown (Southwestern Christian); Record: McLennan 16-7 (3-4).
