The McLennan Highlanders held off the Richland Thunderducks for a 65-53 victory at the Joe White Classic hosted by Hill College.
Richland struck first with a 3-pointer by Cedric Dent from the wing. Aiden Law's jumper put the Highlanders on the board with 18:26 to go in the first half. The Thunderducks responded with another 3-pointer, this one from DJ Willis, to take the early 6-2 lead. A 3-pointer by Law started an 11-0 run McLennan run that gave the Highlanders the 13-6 lead with 14:47 to play in the first half. McLennan led by three, 20-17, before pulling away with a 7-0 run composed by back-to-back buckets by Joe Burgess and a 3-pointer by Joseph Mayberry III from the top of the key pushed the lead to 10, 27-17. Richland rallied with a 7-0 run of its own to pull within three, 27-24. The Highlanders responded with an 8-0 run to take their largest lead of the half at 35-24. Andrew Huntley drained a 3-pointer for the Thunderducks with 14 seconds to go to cut the lead back to eight at the break, 35-27.
McLennan was rolling to start the second half, opening on a 6-2 run to lead by 12, 41-29. Richland stepped up with an 11-0 run cut the lead to one, 41-40 with 13:47 to play in the game. Another Law 3-pointer pushed it ack to a four-point McLennan lead, 44-40. The Highlanders led by one, 44-43, when back-to-back 3-pointers by Kenneth Morrast and a dunk by Timi Ibikunle made it 52-43. The Thunderducks trimmed the lead to six a couple times before McLennan pulled away again.
Kenneth Morrast led the Highlanders with 12 points and Joseph Mayberry III added 11.
Richland: DJ Willis 5 0-0 16; Jase Tarver 2 2-2 6; Tyler Johnson 1 1-1 3; Josh Davison 0 0-0 0; Naledge Jenkins 0 0-0 0; Joubron Bebe 2 -0 4; Andrew Huntley 2 1-2 7; Trevon Harrison 1 1-2 4; Jaylen Mayo 0 0-2 0; Cedric Dent 4 2-2 13; Brian Phelps 0 0-0 0; Josh Morales 0 0-0 0; Kenyon Smith 0 0-0 0; Jalen Jemison 0 0-0 0; Dre Rutledge 0 1-2 1; Isaac Robel 0 0-0 0; Sean Edmondson 0 2-2 2; Totals: 17 10-15 53.
McLennan: Julian Cuillier 3 0-0 8; Kenneth Morrast 5 0-0 12; Aiden Law 3 0-0 8; Joseph Mayberry III 2 6-6 11; Kardae Turner 3 1-3 7; Amare Banks 2 0-0 4; Joseph Brooks Jr. 0 0-0 0; Timi Ibikunle 2 4-5 8; Habeeb Yusuf 0 0-0 0; Howard Gaskins Jr. 0 1-2 1; Joe Burgess 3 0-2 6; Totals: 23 12-18 65.
Halftime score: McLennan 35, Richland 27; 3-pointers: Richland 10 (Willis 4, Dent 3, Huntley 2, Harrison 1), McLennan 7 (Cuillier 2, Morrast 2, Law 2, Mayberry III 1); Total fouls: Richland 19, McLennan 11; Record: McLennan 3-0.
