The McLennan Highlander fell to the Southwestern Christian 75-66 tonight at The Highlands.
McLennan controlled the opening tip and took advantage early. After the game was tied at two in the first minute, the Highlanders went on a 9-2 run over the next six minutes to lead 11-4. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Aaron Harden pulled the Rams within one, 11-10 midway through the half. A 6-0 McLennan run including back-to-back buckets by Ari Gooch put the Highlanders back up by seven, 17-10, just a minute later. Southwestern Christian made a push late in the half, tying the game with a Carson Brown 3-pointer from the corner in the final seconds, 31-31.
Southwest Christian took the lead early in the second half on a four-point play by Donny Thomas. McLennan responded with an 8-0 run by Gooch to make it a four-point Highlander lead, 39-35, with 17:24 to play. McLennan just over a minute later before the Rams went on an 8-0 run of their own to build a six-point lead at 47-41. Another McLennan rally highlighted by an Evan Chatman jam tied the game at 47. Southwestern Christian created some distance, building a double-digit lead at 61-51 with just under seven minutes to go. The Rams led by 13, 64-51. The Highlanders began to rally with Rontavious Blackshear and Gooch combining for a 5-0 run to pull within eight, 64-56 with five minutes remaining. The teams continued to battle and McLennan cut the lead to seven with 1:21 to play, 69-62. That would be as close as the Highlanders would get.
Ari Gooch led the Highlanders with 17 points, and Joseph Mayberry added 16.
Southwestern Christian: Landon Anderson 0 0-0 0; Dylan Richardson 5 0-0 10; Kainan Thomas 5 4-4 17; Kasai Burton 0 0-0 0; Carson Brown 5 3-4 17; Josean Dembo 1 0-2 2; Donny Thomas 4 3-3 13; Nelson Chukwukelu 0 0-0 0; Aaron Harden 5 0-0 12; Tahaad Davis 0 0-0 0; Chaun Farr 2 0-0 4; Totals: 27 10-11 75.
McLennan: Rontavious Blackshear 2 4-5 8; Joseph Mayberry 8 0-1 16; Kardae Turner 1 2-2 4; Amare Banks 2 0-0 4; Ari Gooch 7 1-1 17; Keegan Rowell 0 0-0 0; Evan Chatman 3 3-4 9; Frederick Rogers, III 4 0-3 8; Totals: 27 10-16 66.
Halftime score: McLennan 31, Southwestern Christian 31; 3-pointers: Southwestern Christian 11 (Brown 4, K. Thomas 3, Harden 2, D. Thomas 2); McLennan 2 (Gooch 2); Total fouls: Southwestern Christian 12, McLennan 17; Fouled out: Gooch (McLennan); Record: McLennan 19-4 (6-1).
