The ninth-ranked McLennan Highlassies crushed the Hill Rebels 93-64 to start the second round of conference play this evening at The Highlands.
Hill jumped out to an early 5-0 lead that McLennan quickly erased with a 3-pointer from Chelsea Wooten and bucket off the glass from Aniya Williams. It was back-and-forth for the next five minutes of play with Hill leading 14-3 with 2:48 to go in the first quarter. A pair of free throws from Alyssa Berry followed by a basket from KJ Walker made it a five-point Hill lead at 18-13 with 1:47 to play in the first quarter. A put back from Williams and a free throw from Aysia Ward cut it back to a two-point Hill lead after the first quarter, 18-16.
McLennan tied the game at 18 less than a minute into the second quarter. The teams traded baskets once again. Hill lead 29-26 with 5:19 to go in the quarter. A three-point play by Saneea Bevley tied the game less than 30 seconds later. Hill pushed the lead to four late in the quarter and led by two at the break, 42-40.
The Highlassies turned up the intensity in the third quarter, opening on a 9-2 run to take the 52-44 lead with 6:38 to go in the third. Hill added a basket by KJ Walker to cut the lead back to six, 52-46, before McLennan exploded with a 13-0 run to break the game open, 65-46. McLennan led 67-49 to start the fourth and continued to pull away, leading by as many as 30 down the stretch.
Saneea Bevley led the way for McLennan with 22 points and Chelsea Wooten added 17. Miannah Little and Bineta Diatta rounded out the Highlassies in double figures with 14 and 11, respectively. Diatta recorded the double-double with 16 rebounds.
Hill: Mercedes Mancha 3 1-1 7; KJ Walker 5 1-2 17; Mia Thomas 0 0-0 0; Giani Wimbish-Gay 0 0-2 0; Peyton Foster 1 0-0 2; Valeria Martinez-Lopez 0 0-0 0; Trinity Bane 1 0-2 2; Alyssa Berry 4 6-6 23; Brandalyn Rice 5 1-4 11; Iasia Goldman 1 0-0 2;
Totals: 20 9-17 64.
McLennan: Aysia Ward 1 2-3 4; Chelsea Wooten 5 2-2 17; Miannah Little 5 1-2 14; Kennedi Rowland 1 0-0 2; Saneea Bevley 3 1-1 22; Jaydyn Bullard 1 0-0 8; Niamh Heath 0 0-0 0; Bineta Diatta 5 1-3 11; Aniya Williams 0 1-2 1; Cynaye Bobbitt 0 1-2 1;
Aaliyah Holmes 3 0-0 9; Bailee St. Romain 0 0-0 0; Totals: 21 9-15 93.
3-pointers: Hill 5 (Berry 3, Walker 2), McLennan 14 (Bevley 5, Wooten 5, Bullard 2, Little 1, Holmes 1); Total fouls: Hill 12, McLennan 19; Halftime score: Hill 42, McLennan 40; Record: McLennan 20-2 (8-1).
Next Up: McLennan travels to Weatherford Saturday to face the Coyotes at 2 p.m.
