It was bad news for the Brookhaven Bears as the McLennan Highlanders blasted to a 114-46 victory Saturday afternoon at the Joe White Classic in Hillsboro.
It was a slow start offensively for both squads. The Highlanders and Bears were tied at four with 16 minutes to play in the first half when McLennan began to makes its move. A hard-fought bucket from the lane from Joseph Mayberry III started a 17-0 run for the Highlanders. Joe Burgess, Joseph Brooks Jr., Avion Jackson and Howard Gaskins Jr. all contributed as McLennan took the 21-4 lead with 11:49 remaining in the half. A 3-pointer from the wing by Brookhaven's Xavier Black temporarily halted the Highlander onslaught. McLennan responded with a 3-pointer from the top of the key by Brooks Jr. The Highlanders led 24-10 midway through the half before putting together an 8-0 run capped by an Aiden Law 3-pointer to push the lead to 22, 32-10. The Bears used a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 15 but the Highlanders rolled on, extending the lead to 34 at the half, 55-21.
McLennan rolled through the second half. The Highlanders held the Bears to just eight points in the first 10 minutes of play and extending the lead to 59 at 88-29. With the victory secure, McLennan was able to give the young squad to get some game experience with 11different players scoring in the half.
Kenneth Morrast and Amare Banks led the Highlanders with 17 points each. Joseph Brooks Jr. had 13. Joe Burgess and Avion Jackson scored 11 and 10, respectively.
Brookhaven: Julian Ortiz 1 0-1 2; Jovan Danner 0 2-2 2; Marlon Linton 0 0-0 0; Luke Archibald 1 0-2 2; Kaden Spoon 1 0-0 3; Tyler Targonski 0 2-2 2; Jordan Jones 3 0-0 6; Anshuman Deora 2 2-2 6; Brandon Webber 2 0-0 5; Carson Farnsley 0 0-0 0; Xavier Black 2 0-0 5; Tim Walker 2 0-0 4; Jeremy Roman 4 1-2 9; Totals: 18 7-11 46.
McLennan: Julian Cuillier 1 2-2 4; Kenneth Morrast 7 0-0 17; Aiden Law 3 0-0 9; Joseph Mayberry III 3 1-2 8; Kardae Turner 4 0-0 8; Amare Banks 6 2-2 17; Joseph Brooks Jr. 5 0-0 13; Austin Omondi 1 0-0 2; Avion Jackson 2 5-6 10; Timi Ibikunle 2 3-4 7; Habeeb Yusuf 0 0-0 0; Howard Gaskins Jr. 3 2-2 8; Joe Burgess 5 1-1 11; Maximilian Blank 0 0-0 0; Totals: 42 16-19 114.
Halftime score: McLennan 55, Brookhaven 21; 3-pointers: Brookhaven 3 (Spoon 1, Webber 1, Black 1); McLennan 14 (Morrast 3, Law 3, Banks 3, Brooks Jr. 3, Mayberry III 1, Jackson 1); Total fouls: Brookhaven 16, McLennan 11; Fouled out:
Record: McLennan 4-0.
