The McLennan Highlanders came from behind to defeat the Hill Rebels 84-78 tonight at The Highlands to move to 26-1 on the season and 8-1 in conference play.
Hill appeared to be in control from the start. The game was tied at seven with 16:41 in the first half. The Rebels used a 5-0 run over the next minute and a half to begin pulling away. Hill extended its lead to 15, 31-16, with 8:11 to go in the first. McLennan began to chip away at the lead behind strong shooting from Isaiah Gurley. The Highlanders pulled within seven, 41-34, with a minute remaining in the first half and trailed the Rebels 43-34 at intermission.
McLennan played like a completely different team in the second half. The Highlanders opened on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to three, 43-40. Hill led by four, 58-54, with 12:15 remaining in the game. Derrick Farquharson and Gurley combined for a 5-0 run capped off by a Gurley 3-pointer to take the 59-58 lead, the Highlanders first of the game, midway through the half. The two teams traded the lead for the next seven and a half minutes of play with neither holding more than a two-point advantage. Hill led 78-76 with 2:37 remaining. Shannon Bouges tied the game with a pair of free throws and gave McLennan the two-point advantage on a jumper with 1:20 on the clock. A Jashawn Talton tip-in bucket and two more Bogues free throws combined with strong defensive pressure down the stretch sealed the win.
Bogues led the Highlanders with 26 points. Gurley and Talton added 16 and 14, respectively. Talton was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine.
In women's action, the McLennan Highlassies defeated the Hill Lady rebels 65-48.
McLennan came out on fire opening the game on an 8-0. The first quarter appeared much like a 3-point contest with two teams combining to hit seven. The Highlassies led by 10, 18-8, with 4:37 to play in the first. Hill rallied late in the quarter to trim the lead to seven, 24-17, to start the second period. Once again, McLennan took control early in the quarter opening on an 8-2 run to extend the lead to double figures, 32-19. Hill ended the half on an 8-2 run of its own to cut the lead back to seven at halftime, 34-27.
The Highlassies began to pull away in the third quarter. McLennan led 38-33 midway through the the quarter and used a 6-0 run to put the lead back into double figures, 44-33. The Highlassies led 51-39 to start the fourth and put the game away with a 10-0 run.
Velma Mitchell led the Highlassies with 19 points and Jaylonn Walker added 13.
The Highlassies return to action on Saturday traveling to face Cisco at 2 p.m. The Highlanders return to action Feb. 22 hosting Collin.
HIll: Tamia Cunigan 2 4-6 8; Kristian Davis 0 0-0 0; Kynese Davis 2 0-0 4; Chelsea Adams 4 0-0 10; April Matthews 0 0-0 0; Kaylee McConnell 2 4-5 9; Ceara Leavai 0 0-0 0; Arhianna Sims-Jackson 0 0-0 0; Adryna Roberson 0 0-0 0; Faith Dimerson 1 4-6 6; Jamesia Amand 4 3-6 11; Totals: 15 1523 48.
McLennan: Patrickia Daily 2 0-0 6; Colandria Haynes 0 0-0 0; Dariel Johnson 2 0-0 5; Jordan Mullins 3 0-0 6; Velma Mitchell 7 2-3 19; Jaylonn Walker 5 3-4 13; Chelsi Woodard 0 0-0 0; Nadia Hayes 4 0-0 8; Ashley Moore 4 0-0 8; Totals: 27 5-7 65.
3-pointers: Hill 3 (Adams 2, McConnell 1), McLennan 6 (Mitchell 3, Daily 2, Johnson 1); Total fouls: Hill 17, McLennan 21; Halftime score: McLennan 34, Hill 26; Record: McLennan 16-9 (9-1).
Hill: Braxton Shaw 5 2-2 12; Davion Turner 1 2-2 4; K.J. Malveau 7 3-6 19; Antanee Pinkard 1 0-0 2; Simpson Anderson 6 1-1 15; Shamar Bailey 3 0-0 7; Quincy Taylor 3 0-0 9; Narcisse Kalamba 2 2-2 8; Jacques Lukusa 1 0-0 2; Totals: 29 10-14 78.
McLennan: Zarious Wilson 2 0-0 6; Chamar Hawkins 0 2-3 2; Hayden Hunter 1 0-0 2; Derrick Farquharson 4 1-2 9; Shannon Bogues 8 6-6 26; Isaiah Gurley 5 5-8 16; Jashawn Talton 6 2-5 14; Daniel Pinho Severo 0 0-0 0; Fred Jackson 3 1-3 7; Julius Palmer 1 0-0 2; Totals: 30 17-27 84.
3-pointers: Hill 10 (Malveau 2, Anderson 2, Kalamba 2, Bailey 1), McLennan 7 (Bogues 4, Wilson 2, Gurley 1); Total fouls: Hill 20, McLennan 18; Halftime score: Hill43, McLennan 34; Record: McLennan 26-1 (8-1).
