The McLennan Highlanders closed out the non-conference portion of their schedule with an 81-70 victory over the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters.
McLennan began the game with a 1-0 lead following the administrative technical on Eastern Arizona for dunking in pre-game warm-ups. A Ryan Hunt bucket from the lane with 18:46 to go in the half put the Gila Monsters on the board. A put-back basket by Avion Jackson gave McLennan the 3-2 lead and started an 11-2 run for the Highlanders, pushing the lead to eight at 12-4. Eastern Arizona cut the lead to five with a 3-pointer by Kahu Treacher before the Highlanders began to pull away. A Joe Burgess bucket started another run, this one of the 8-0 variety to put McLennan up 20-7 midway through the half. The Gila Monsters rallied down the stretch, cutting the lead to six before a late surge by the Highlanders including a pair of 3-pointers by Kenneth Morrast made it 16-point lead with 20 seconds to go, 43-27. A buzzer beater by Eastern Arizona's Ryder Bush made it a 43-29 McLennan at the break.
The Gila Monsters opened the second half on a 7-1 run to pull within eight at 44-36. A nothing-but-net 3-pointer by the Highlanders' Aiden Law quieted the rally. McLennan continued to pull away, going back up by 17 with 11:42 to go, 56-39. Another Eastern Arizona rally cut the lead to eight once again, 58-50 with 9:33 to play. McLennan pushed the lead back to 14 at 69-55 but the Gila Monsters responded with a 5-0 run to get back within nine, 69-60. The Highlanders led by 11 with less than 30 seconds to play following a pair of Morrast free throws. Peyton drained a 3-pointer for Eastern Arizona with 17 seconds to play to get within eight, 78-70. Kardae Turner and Morrast went 3-4 from the line in the final seconds to secure the win.
Kenneth Morrast led McLennan with 17 points and Joseph Mayberry III added 15
Eastern Arizona: Derek Collins 4 1-1 11; Kahu Treacher 2 6-7 11; Kofi Peyton 5 0-2 15; Ryder Bush 3 2-5 8; Brad Ballinger 5 0-0 13; Malachi Seely-Roberts 0 0-0 0; Ryan Hunt 5 1-3 11; Totals: 24 10-18 70.
McLennan: Kenneth Morrast 6 4-4 17; Aiden Law 3 0-0 8; Joseph Mayberry III 5 4-5 15; Kardae Turner 1 4-6 6; Amare Banks 3 1-2 8; Katayvon Jefferies 1 0-0 3; Avion Jackson 2 0-0 4; Timi Ibikunle 2 0-0 4; Howard Gaskins Jr. 1 0-0 2; Joe Burgess 3 1-2 7; Maximilian Blank 1 1-2 3; Totals: 28 15-21 81.
Halftime score: McLennan 43, Eastern Arizona 29; 3-pointers: Eastern Arizona 11 (Peyton 5, Ballinger 3, Collins 2, Treacher 1), McLennan 10 (Morrast 5, Law 2, Mayberry III 1, Banks 1, Jefferies 1); Total fouls: Eastern Arizona 16, McLennan 18; Fouled out: Ballinger (Eastern Arizona); Record: McLennan 15-1.
