The McLennan women opened 2024 with a bang, rolling to a 70-44 victory over the Tyler Apaches in the Evelyn Blalock Classic at Kilgore College.
The first few minutes of the game appeared like a 3-point contest. Kiana Bennett put Tyler on the board with a long ball from the elbow with 8:52 to go in the first. McLennan responded with back-to-back 3-pointers from Mersadez Nephew and Jalayah Ingram followed by a shot of the glass by Aniya Williams to complete the 8-0 run and take the 8-3 lead with 7:59 to play in the quarter. McLennan led 10-7 two minutes later and pulled away with another 8-0 run, and led 20-10 going into the second.
McLennan kept the Apaches at arm's length in the second frame. McLennan led by 11, 28-17 with 5:56 to go before the half, and used another run, this one of the 9-0 variety, to break the game open. Alexandria Jefferson hit a 3-pointer from the corner for Tyler to stop the run with one minute on the clock. Ingram added another bucket, and McLennan led 39-20 at the break.
McLennan stepped up the defense to start the third, holding Tyler to just one field goal in the first four minutes of the quarter. Saneea Bevley got hot from the 3-point line, draining four from the behind the arc as McLennan pushed the lead to 26 going into the final period, 58-32. McLennan continued to roll in the fourth quarter as it cruised to the lop-sided victory.
Bevely led the way for McLennan with 29 points, and Aniya Williams added 17. Aysia Ward recorded the double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
McLennan: Aysia Ward 4 2-4 10; Saneea Bevley 11 0-2 29; Alaina Payne 2 0-0 4; Mersadez Nephew 1 0-0 3; Jalayah Ingram 2 0-0 5; Peyton Hearvey 0 0-0 0; Aniya Williams 6 5-6 17; Kalisha Phillips 0 0-0 0; Pauline Maccarthy 1 0-0 2; Totals: 27 7-12 70.
Tyler: Alexandria Jefferson 3 0-0 8; Kiana Bennett 3 2-2 10; Shalayne Morgan 1 2-4 4; Amyia Bowie 3 2-6 8; Fanta Kone 0 0-0 0; Kamora Jackson 0 0-0 0; Naomi Wilson 0 1-2 1; Tinu Fakunle 0 0-0 0; KeleChi Dike 2 1-4 5; Lillian Jackson2 0-0 4; Fenishka Bertho 0 0-0 0; Amari Welch 0 0-0 0; Totals: 15 10-22 44.
First Quarter score: McLennan 20, Tyler 10; Halftime score: McLennan 39, Tyler 20; Third Quarter score: McLennan 58, Tyler 32; 3-pointers: McLennan 9 (Bevley 7, Newphew 1, Ingram 1), Tyler 4 (Jefferson 2, Bennett 2); Total fouls: McLennan 13, Tyler 13; Record: McLennan 10-3.
