It was a low-scoring affair in the McLennan Highlanders' conference opener this afternoon in Weatherford with the Highlanders getting the 59-50 win over the Coyotes.
Baskets were hard to come by for both teams to start the game. McLennan opened on a 5-0 run with three points from Avion Jackson and two from Timi Ibikunle. Weatherford finally got on the board with a fadeaway by Andre Bennett five minutes into the contest. Kenji Franklin added a basket for the Coyotes to make it 5-4. A Jelani McGregor free throw then tied the game at five. Weatherford went up by two, 7-5, before a 4-0 run comprised of a pair of free throws by Joseph Mayberry III and bucket by Joe Burgess made it 9-7 McLennan with 12:13 to play in the half. Weatherford added a free throw from Franklin to make it 9-8 before both teams went cold for over three minutes of play. A Burgess basket put McLennan ended the drought and put the Highlanders up 11-9 with 8:18 to go. McLennan led 12- 11 with just under six minutes to play. A pair of Amare Banks free throws and bucket by Aiden Law made it a five-point Highlander lead les than a minute later, 16-11. Weatherford added a floater by Bennett and put back by Daunte Smith cut the lead to one, 16-15. Banks stepped up for McLennan with back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Highlanders the largest lead of the half at 22-15, and it would be 24-18 McLennan at halftime.
Banks drained another 3-pointer from the corner to open the second half and make it a nine-point Highlander lead, 27-18. McLennan continued to rally, taking the first double-digit lead at 31-21 on a Howard Gaskins Jr. bucket with 17:55 remaining in the game. The Highlanders pushed the lead to 12 at 33-21 before the Coyotes began to rally. Weatherford pulled within six at 38-32 before a bucket-and-one by Maximilian Blank made it a nine-point lead for the Highlanders, 41-32 midway through the half. The Coyotes chipped away and pulled within five at 53-48 with 46 seconds left. McLennan was able to hold the Coyotes off to get the win.
Amare Banks led McLennan with 13 points.
McLennan: Kenneth Morrast 1 1-2 3; Aiden Law 1 6-6 8; Joseph Mayberry III 2 5-6 9; Kardae Turner 1 3-4 5; Amare Banks 3 4-4 13; Katayvon Jefferies 0 0-0 0; Avion Jackson 1 1-2 3; Timi Ibikunle 1 2-4 4; Howard Gaskins Jr. 1 0-0 2; Joe Burgess 4 1-6 9; Maximilian Blank 1 1-1 3; Totals: 16 24-35 59.
Weatherford: Jel Malek 1 1-2 3; Jelani McGregor 2 1-3 5; Jace Hudson 0 0-0 0; Andre Bennett 6 2-2 14; Keith Gillespie 0 2-2 2; Dionte Alexander 0 0-0 0; Josiah Coleman 1 4-6 6; Daunte Smith 2 1-2 5; Kyan Landveld 3 2-4 10; Kenji Franklin 1 1-2 3; Bol Dhieu 1 0-0 2; Totals: 17 14-23 50.
Halftime score: McLennan 24, Weatherford 18; 3-pointers: McLennan 3 (Banks 3); Weatherford 2 (Landveld 2); Total fouls: McLennan 22, Weatherford 24; Record: McLennan 16-1 (1-0).
