The McLennan Highlanders went to war with the Ranger Rangers tonight on the road, coming away with the 71-64 victory to stay undefeated in conference play.
The first half was very much a back-and-forth battle. McLennan held the narrow 8-7 lead with 15:23 to play. An Amare Banks 3-pointer from the wing followed by a pair of free throws from Kardae Turner gave the Highlanders a six-point lead at 13-7 with 13:31 to go. Ranger responded with an 8-0 run over the four minutes to go up 15-13. The teams traded baskets for the next eight minutes. The game was tied at 27 with 2:23 to go before the half. A put-back basket by Maximilian Blank followed by a Turner bucket put the Highlanders on top by four, 31-27, and the squad would hold on to a three-point lead at intermission, 32-29.
McLennan added a basket by Joseph Mayberry III on a fast break early in the second half to go up by rive, 34-29. Ranger responded with a 9-0 run including two baskets by Jalen Hooks to build a four-point lead at 38-34. A Howard Gaskins Jr. layup followed by a tip in by Timi Ibikunle for the Highlanders tied the game at 38 at the first media timeout of the half. An Aiden Law 3-pointer from the corner and free throw quickly put McLennan up by three by four, 42-38. The Rangers responded with a 3-pointer from the corner by Cam Brown and pair of free throws from Dave Meriwether to go back on top 43-42. The and-one play by Mayberry III put McLennan back on top by two, 45-43. Gavin Headings tied the game with a pair of Ranger free throws with 10:18 remaining. The battle continued with neither team gaining more than a five-point lead until late in the game. The Highlanders led 57-54 with four minutes to play. A Law basket followed by a put back by Avion Jackson and a pair of Law free throws gave McLennan the largest lead of the night at 63-54. Ranger rallied late, trimming the lead to four at 68-64 with 12.8 seconds on the clock.
Amare Banks led McLennan with 15 points. Joseph Mayberry III and Avion Jackson scored 13 and 11, respectively.
McLennan: Julian Cuillier 0 2-2 2; Aiden Law 4 3-4 13; Joseph Mayberry III 3 1-3 8; Kardae Turner 1 3-4 5; Amare Banks 6 1-2 15; Katayvon Jefferies 0 0-0 0; Avion Jackson 2 7-10 11; Timi Ibikunle 1 0-0 2; Habeeb Yusuf 0 0-0 0; Howard Gaskins Jr. 2 2-2 6; Maximilian Blank 4 1-2 9; Totals: 23 20-29 71.
Ranger: Cam Brown 3 1-2 9; Jalen Hooks 8 1-2 17; Mafatime Ndiaye 2 2-2 7; Ray Lomboto 0 0-0 0; Javon Alexander 0 4-6 4; Dave Meriwether 4 5-7 13; Devin Whitten 1 2-2 4; Gavin Headings 4 2-2 10; Totals: 22 17-25 64.
Halftime score: McLennan 32, Ranger 29; 3-pointers: McLennan 4 (Law 2, Banks 2), Ranger 3 (Brown 2, Ndiaye 1); Total fouls: McLennan 20, Ranger 21; Record: McLennan 24-1 (9-0).
