The seventh-ranked McLennan Highlanders annihilated the Collin Cougars 87-66 tonight at the Highlands to move to 27-1 on the season and 9-1 in North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference play.
The Highlanders came out running and gunning, showing their offensive prowess early as they opened the game on a 14-0 run. Collin finally got on the board with a pair of Sasha Simic free throws with 14:48 to play in the first half. McLennan dominated the first half, shooting 68 percent from the field compared to just 33 percent for the Cougars. The Highlanders continued to pull away in the final minutes of the half and held the 44-23 advantage going into the locker room.
McLennan continued to go full throttle in the second half leading by as many as 21 in the half as they cruised to the easy victory.
Zarious Wilson led the Highlanders with 17 points. Derrick Farquharson ad Isaiah Gurley score 14 points each. Jashawn Talton and Shannon Bogues added 12 each.
In a fight to the finish style game, the McLennan Highlassies fell to the Collin Lady Cougars 65-57.
Collin began the scoring with a pair of Ashtyn Beal free throws less than a minute into the contest. A Nadia Hayes put back with 7:57 to play in the first put McLennan on the board. Another Hayes jumper gave the Highlassies the early 4-2 lead. Collin used a 6-0 run to take the 8-4 lead midway through the first quarter. McLennan trimmed the lead to one before the Lady Cougars pulled away taking the 12-7 lead with 1:20 remaining in the first. A Velma Mitchell free throw followed by a steal and bucket by Jaylonn Walker for the Highlassies cut the lead to two at the end of the quarter, 12-10.
The Lady Cougars took control of the game in the second quarter opening on a 9-0 run as the McLennan offense began to struggle. The Highlassies didn't give up. A Colandria Haynes drive in the lane with 5:44 jumped started the McLennan offense. The Haynes basket began a 9-2 Mclennan run capped off by a fast break to Hayes cut the Collin lead to four, 23-19 with 4:15 remaining in the first half. The Lady Cougars led 27-21 at the break.
McLennan kept it close through the first six minutes of the third quarter trimming the lead to four on a Dariel Johnson steal and drive to the basket, 35-31. Collin extended the lead to 12 down the stretch, 43-31, with 1:16 to go in the third. The Highlassies continued to fight, ending the quarter on a 4-0 run to cut the lead back to eight, 43-35, going into the final period. McLennan rallied in the fourth pulling within three, 54-51, with 2:43 remaining in the game but was unable to get any closer.
Mitchell led the Highlassies with 17 points and Johnson added 14.
McLennan travels to Temple Saturday to continue conference play. Women's action gets underway at 2 p.m. followed by the men's game at 4 p.m.
