The McLennan Highlanders hammered the Hill Rebels 75-55 on the road this afternoon in Hillsboro.
It was a slow start offensively for both squads. McLennan opened on a 5-0 run with a bucket in the paint by Maximilian Blank followed by a 3-pointer from Amare Banks. Erland Pagliero went 1-2 from the free throw line to put Hill on the board with 17:27 to play in the first half. The Highlanders responded with baskets by Joseph Mayberry III and Timi Ibikunle to go up by eight at 9-1. The Rebels cut the lead in half with back-to-back baskets by Akeim Strahan, 9-5. Aiden Law sank a pair of 3-pointers to give McLennan its first double-digit lead at 15-5. Ibikunle added a basket to make it a 12-point Highlander but the Rebels fought back, cutting the lead to two at 23-21 with four minutes to play. McLennan ended the half on a 15-6 to lead 36-27 at the break.
The Highlanders pulled away early in the second half. Already leading by eight at 38-30 with 19:24 to play, McLennan went on a 12-0 run to extend the lead to 20, 50-30. The Highlander defense kept the Rebels off balance throughout the second half, never allowing the squad to establish a good scoring rhythm. McLennan led by as many as 32 late in the game.
Aiden Law led the Highlanders with 22 points. Amare Banks added 17 and Joseph Mayberry III scored 15.
McLennan: Julian Cuillier 0 0-0 0; Aiden Law 8 0-0 22; Joseph Mayberry III 5 3-6 15; Kardae Turner 0 2-2 2; Amare Banks 6 2-2 17; Avion Jackson 2 1-3 5; Timi Ibikunle 3 0-0 6; Habeeb Yusuf 0 0-2 0; Howard Gaskins Jr. 2 0-0 4; Joe Burgess 0 0-2 0; Maximilian Blank 2 0-1 4; Totals: 28 8-18 75.
Hill: Akeim Strahan 4 0-0 8; Daylyn Martin 2 2-2 6; Derrick Morris 5 0-0 13; Jan Lopez 0 2-4 2; Hamzah Abdullahi 2 1-1 5; Ryan Auer 0 0-0 0; Temi Omotoyinbo 1 1-2 3; Erland Pagliero 3 3-4 12; Joshua Moore 0 0-0 0; Quincy Owens 1 2-2 4; Cheick Diaby 0-0 0; Totals: 18 11-16 55.
Halftime score: McLennan 36, Hill 27; 3-pointers: McLennan 8 (Law 9, Banks 3); Total fouls: McLennan 15, Hill 8 (Morris 3, Pagliero 3, Martin 2); Record: McLennan 27-1 (12-0).
