The McLennan women's basketball squad fell to the Grayson Vikings 68-60 this afternoon in the semifinal of the Region V Tournament in Odessa.
McLennan took control early, opening the game on a 12-2 run including four points from Charnelle Hoof and a 3-pointer from the corner by Tajenae Gooden. Grayson began to slowly chip away and tied the game at 19 on an Andrea Johnson 3-pointer with 30 seconds to play in the quarter. The game remained tied at 19 going into the second.
The offense slowed down significantly for both teams in the second period. The two teams traded baskets with neither gaining more than a three-point lead until late in the period. With the game tied at 28 with 1:34 to play before the half, a Lanaijha Johnson floatier in the lane started a 7-0 run by McLennan. Trinity Butler's jumper with two seconds to capped the run and gave McLennan the 35-28 advantage at the break.
McLennan continue to hold the seven-point lead at 40-33 when Grayson began to rally. The Vikings pulled within one at 40-39 following a 6-0 run including four points from. Susan Fahnbulleh. A Sharkira Brown 3-pointer from the wing briefly stopped the rally but Grayson retained the momentum. The Vikings tied the game at 43 and pushed to a nine-point lead at the end of the quarter, 54-45.
Grayson increase the lead to 12 early in the fourth but McLennan wasn't done. A layup by Hoof followed by a drive through the lane by Charravia Smith pulled McLennan back within eight at 58-50. The Vikings responded with a 4-0 run to go back up by 12. McLennan began to battle with six-point run including four points from Butler, 62-56 with 2:05 to play. The would be as close as the squad could get as Grayson sealed the game at the free throw line in the final minutes.
Trinity Butler led McLennan with 12 points. Lanaijha Johnson recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Tajenae Gooden also scored 10.
McLennan: Nevaeh Otis1 0-2 3; Kaedynce Cox-Dunlap1 0-0 3; Shakira Brown 1 1-2 4; Charnelle Hoof 4 1-2 9; Tajenae Gooden 3 2-2 10; Charravia Smith 3 1-4 7; Trinity Butler 4 3-6 12; Danai Lewis 1 0-0 2; Lanaijha Johnson 5 0-0 10; 23 8-19 60.
Totals:
Grayson: Tahlaya Biglow 1 1-2 3; Andrea Johnson 1 3-4 6; Iv Jackson 2 2-2 7; Madison Martin 1 2-4 4; Susan Fahnbulleh 5 8-8 18; Fia Filoialii 5 0-0 10 ; Lily Melton 1 1-2 3; Jaycee Ingram 4 9-9 17; Totals: 20 26-31 68.
Halftime score: McLennan 35, Grayson 28; 3-pointers: McLennan 6 (Gooden 2, Brown 1, Cox-Dunlap 1, Otis 1, Butler 1), Grayson 2 (Johnson 1, Jackson 1); Total fouls: McLennan 21. Grayson 18; Record: McLennan 25-6 (12-4).
