The 8th-ranked McLennan Highlassies annihilated the Hill Lady Rebels 84-46 this evening in Hillsboro to open North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference play.
It was the Chelsea Wooten and Alyssa Berry show to start the game as both scored the first four points for their respective teams. The game was tied at six with 7:37 to play in the first. Wooten's wide-open 3-pointer from the top of the key followed by a layup by Bineta Diatta gave McLennan a five-point lead at 11-6. Hill responded with a 5-0 run of its own to tie the game at 11 with 6:03 on the clock. McLennan took the lead on a Miannah Little 3-pointer from the corner and led by four at the end of the quarter, 17-13.
The Highlassies broke the game open in the second quarter. McLennan got the steal on the opening Hill possession, following it with a Little layup. With McLennan leading 23-17 with 6:37 to play before halftime. The Highlassies pulled away with a 9-2 run over the next two and a half minutes, 32-19. Saneea Bevley sank three consecutive 3-pointers down the stretch for McLennan as the squad pushed the lead to 17 at the break, 38-21.
McLennan continued to show their power in the third. The Highlassies opened on a 9-0 highlighted by another Bevley 3-pointer and four points from Aniya Williams. Hill picked up back-to-back baskets in the lane from Brandalyn Rice and Berry but McLennan quickly responded with runs of 5-0 and 8-2 to put the game even further out of reach.
It was a 64-31 McLennan lead to start the fourth. The Highlassies opened with back-to-back buckets by Aaliyah Holmes and cruised the rest of the way to the enormous victory.
Saneea Bevley led McLennan with 17 points, including five 3-pointers. Chelsea Wooten added 16 with three 3-pointers.
McLennan: Alicia Mills 0 0-0 0; Aysia Ward 3 0-0 6; Chelsea Wooten 6 1-1 16; Miannah Little 2 2-2 7; Esther Kwagala 1 0-1 2; Saneea Bevley 6 0-0 17; Jaydyn Bullard 1 0-0 2; Niamh Heath 1 0-0 2; Bineta Diatta 4 0-0 8; Aniya Williams 3 1-1 7; Cynaye Bobbitt 3 1-1 7; Aaliyah Holmes 2 0-0 4; Bailee St. Romain 2 0-0 4; Capri Garrett 1 0-0 2.
Totals: 35 5-6 84.
Hill: Mercedes Mancha 0 0-0 0; KJ Walker 4 2-2 12; Mia Thomas 1 0-0 3; Giani Wimbish-Gay 1 0-0 2; Peyton Foster 2 0-0 5; Sophia Hurtado 2 0-0 4; Valeria Martinez-Lopez 0 0-0 0; Alyssa Berry 3 7-8 14; Brandalyn Rice 2 0-0 4; Iasia Goldman 1 0-0 2; Totals: 16 9-10 46.
3-pointers: McLennan 9 (Bevley 5, Wooten 3, Little 1), Hill 5 (Walker 2, Thomas 2, Foster 1, Berry 1); Total fouls: McLennan 9, Hill 11; Halftime score: McLennan 38, Hill 21; Record: McLennan 13-1 (1-0).
