The McLennan Highlanders routed the Ranger Rangers 68-50 today in NTJCAC play.
The teams exchanged the lead early on with the game tied at five 17:16 to play in the first half. A 5-0 run put Ranger up 10-5 but McLennan rallied with a 6-1 run capped by a put-back bucket by Maximilian Blank to tie the game at 11. The Ranger dunk by Dave Meriwether made it 13-11. The Highlanders took control with a 12-0 run, including four points from Howard Gaskins Jr., over the next four minutes to take the first double-digit lead at 23-13. Ranger cut the lead to eight before McLennan pulled away again. Aidan Law got hot from behind the arc an the Highlanders led 34-19 with just over four minutes to paly in the half. The Rangers used an 8-0 run to begin chipping away at the McLennan cushion, cutting it to five at intermission 35-30.
The Highlanders were on fire to start the second half. McLennan opened on a 10-2 run highlighted by a Timi Ibikunle dunk to lead 45-32 with 12:35 to play. Ranger appeared to be off balance, allowing the Highlanders to control the game. McLennan led by 13, 54-41 with just under six minutes on the clock. A 3-pointer by Amare Banks started a 10-0 run to put the game out of reach.
Aiden Law led the Highlanders with 21 points, and Amare Banks added 12.
Ranger: Jaylen Drane 1 2-2 5; Cam Brown 6 1-4 14; Jalen Hooks 2 1-2 5; Mafatime Ndiaye 5 1-2 13; Ray Lomboto 1 0-0 2; Javon Alexander 1 0-0 2; Dave Meriwether 1 0-0 2; Devin Whitten 2 0-0 4; Gavin Headings 1 1-1 3; Totals: 20 6-11 50.
McLennan: Aiden Law 8 0-0 21; Joseph Mayberry III 3 2-4 8; Kardae Turner 0 0-0 0; Amare Banks 5 1-5 12; Katayvon Jefferies 0 0-0 0; Avion Jackson 3 1-2 8;Timi Ibikunle 3 0-0 6; Habeeb Yusuf 0 0-0 0; Howard Gaskins Jr. 3 2-2 8; Joe Burgess 1 0-0 2; Maximilian Blank 1 1-3 3; Totals: 27 7-16 68.
Halftime score: McLennan 35, Ranger 30; 3-pointers: Ranger 4 (Ndiaye 2, Drane 1, Brown 1), McLennan 7 (Law 5, Banks 1, Jackson 1); Total fouls: Ranger 13, McLennan 12;Record: McLennan 17-1 (2-0).
