In a game that came down to the wire, the No. 20 wrestled the Weatherford Coyotes for a 66-58 win tonight at The Highlands.
The majority of the first half was a back-and-forth battle. Weatherford led 13-12 with 11:32 to play in the first. An up-and-under bucket by Aiden Law gave McLennan the lead and started a 6-0 run to push the lead to five at 18-13 midway through the half. The Highlanders extended the lead to seven, 24-17 with six minutes to go. The Coyotes began to chip away at the Highlander lead, going on top on with Josiah Coleman 3-pointer to lead 33-31 at the break.
The second half was much the same as the first. McLennan took the lead at 38-37 on a Howard Gaskins Jr. jumper and added a basket by Amare Banks to lead by three, 40-37. The Highlanders led by five several times before Weatherford battled to take the 51-50 lead with 9:21 to play. Joseph Mayberry III scored four consecutive points for McLennan to put the Highlanders back on top 54-41. A 3-pointer by Keith Gillespie tied the game at 54. McLennan quickly went back up by four with a basket and dunk by Mayberry III, 58-54 with 7:37 on the clock. Weatherford added a bucket by Andrew Bennett, 58-56, before the Coyote shooters went cold. McLennan's defense held its opponent scoreless for more than six minutes while adding three points from Gaskins Jr. and free throw by Julian Cuillier to go up by six, 62-56. Bol Dhieu added a bucket for Weatherford with 24 seconds to play before Mayberry III and Gaskins Jr. added a pair of free throws each to secure the victory.
Joseph Mayberry III scored 14 points to lead the Highlanders. Aiden Law, Amare Banks, and Howard Gaskins Jr. all scored 12 points each.
Weatherford: Jel Malek 0 8-8 8; Andre Bennett 5 0-1 12; Garang Dhieu 0 0-0 0; Keith Gillespie 2 0-0 6; Dionte Alexander 1 0-0 2; Josiah Coleman 6 2-2 16; Daunte Smith 0 0-0 0; Kenji Franklin 0 0-0 0; Bol Dhieu 6 2-2 14; Totals: 20 12-13 58.
McLennan: Julian Cuillier 2 2-5 7; Aiden Law 4 2-3 12; Joseph Mayberry III 4 4-5 14; Kardae Turner 0 1-2 1; Amare Banks 5 1-2 12; Avion Jackson 1 1-2 3; Timi Ibikunle 1 0-0 2; Howard Gaskins Jr. 4 4-6 12; Joe Burgess 1 0-0 2; Maximilian Blank 1 0-0 2; Totals: 23 15-25 66.
Halftime score: Weatherford 33, McLennan 31; 3-pointers: Weatherford 6 (Bennett 2, Gillespie 2, Coleman 2), McLennan 6 (Mayberry III 2, Law 2, Cuillier 1, Banks 1); Total fouls: Weatherford 21, McLennan 15; Record: McLennan 23-1 (8-0).
