Highlanders narrowly miss knocking off nationally-ranked Ranger

The McLennan Highlanders and fourth-ranked Ranger Rangers didn't disappoint as they gave fans an exciting game of basketball tonight at The Highlands. It would be the Rangers coming out on top in the end, taking the 67-61 win.
 
The game was tight from the opening tip to the final buzzer, with neither team ever commanding more than an eight-point lead. The two teams traded the lead for the first 11 minutes of play. The game would be tied at 18 with 8:42 to play in the first half. McLennan put together an 8-0 run including five points from Tyrese Taylor and a 3-pointer from Tre Thomas to take an eight-point lead at 26-18 with 7:12 to go before intermission. Ranger continued to fight and would send the game to halftime tied at 31.
 
The second half would prove to be just as tight as the first. McLennan took a three-point lead early but Ranger quickly erased it. The Rangers took the 42-41 lead with 14:57 to play in the second half and extended the lead to seven, 50-43, less than two minutes later. McLennan responded with an 11-1 run over the next four minutes, taking the lead on a 3-pointer from Rodrique Massenat and extending it to three points with a pair of Massenat free throws, 54-51. Ranger tied the game at 54 with 7:38 to play. A dunk by Asare Otchere and a bucket and ensuing foul shot from Claven Wilson put the Highlanders up by five, 59-54, with five minutes remaining. The Highlanders led 61-58 with 3:43 to play. Ranger ended the game on a 9-0 run including seven points from the free throw line to steal the win.
 
Rodrique Massenat led McLennan with 20 points and Tre Thomas added 10.

Ranger: C.J. Roberts 3 7-9 13; Shasirae Harvey 0 0-0 0; Kenton Eskridge 0 0-0 0; Montre Gipson 1 0-0 2; Skakur Daniel 3 5-8 11; Brayan Au5 4-5 16; Jorell Saterfield 4 8-8 16; Keisei Tominaga 3 2-2 9; Totals: 19 26-32 67.
 
McLennan: Lorenzo Anderson 0 0-0 0; Rodrique Massenat 6 4-5 20; Cameron Copeland 0 2-2 2; Chris Pryor 0 2-4 2; Rayquan Brown 4 0-0 8; Tre Thomas 3 2-2 10; Claven Wilson 2 1-1 5; Asare Otchere 2 1-3 5; Tyrese Taylor 2 1-3 5; Totals: 21 13-18 61.
 
3-pointers: Ranger 3 (Au 2, Tominaga 1), McLennan: 6 (Massenat 4, Thomas 2); Total fouls: Ranger 15, McLennan 15; Fouled out: McLennan (Otchere); Halftime score: Ranger 31, McLennan 31; Record: McLennan 14-10 (5-3).