The McLennan Highlanders returned from their month-long holiday break with a 106-79 demolishing of Tribulation Prep this afternoon at The Highlands.
It was all Highlanders at the opening tip as the squad opened the game on an 8-0 run composed of four points each from Ari Gooch and Joseph Mayberry. McLennan continued to lead by eight, 10-2, with 16:54 to go in the first half. Tribulation Prep used a 5-0 run in the next 30 seconds to cut the lead back to three. The Highlanders led by five, 17-12, with 14:10 to play. McLennan broke away with a 10-0 run including two 3-pointers by Keegan Rowell to extend the lead to 15, 27-12. Tri-Prep responded with a 6-0 run to trim the lead to nine before the Highlanders pulled away once again. McLennan led by 15, 48-33 with 2:33 to go and ended the half on a 7-2 run to push the lead to 20 at intermission, 55-35.
McLennan continued to roll in the second half. The Highlanders led by 20, 72-52, with 13:47 on the clock and pushed the lead to 30 with a 10-0 run that included four points by John McQueen and back to-back 3-pointer by Rontavious Blackshear and Rowell, 82-52. Tri-Prep made a run down the stretch, pulling within 17 with six minutes to play but was unable to get any closer.
Frederick Rogers, III led the McLennan scorers with 22 points and Rontavious Blackshear added 19. Joseph Mayberry and Ari Gooch scored 13 points each. Kardae Turner and Keegan Rowell chipped in 11 each, and John McQueen scored 10.
Tribulation Prep: Edwards 4 2-2 10; Linton 0 0-0 0; C. Brown 3 4-4 12; Hernandez 3 0-0 8; Mitchell 1 1-1 3; Ike 4 0-1 11; Williamson 5 0-0 11; Adams 1 0-2 2; T. Brown 2 7-9 12; Jackson 0 0-0 0; L. Brown 4 0-0 10; Totals: 27 14-19 79.
McLennan: Rontavious Blackshear 7 0-0 19; Joseph Mayberry 4 5-5 12; Kardae Turner 4 2-2 11; Amare Banks 2 0-2 5; Ari Gooch 4 4-5 13; Keegan Rowell 4 0-0 11; John McQueen 3 4-4 10; Frederick Rogers, III 9 4-4 22; Joe Burgess 1 0-0 2; John Ateny 0 0-0 0; Totals: 38 19-24 106.
Halftime score: McLennan 55, Tribulation Prep 35; 3-pointers: Tribulation Prep 11 (Ike 3, L. Brown 2, Hernandez 2, C. Brown 2, Williamson 1, T. Brown 1), McLennan 11 (Blackshear 5, Rowell 3, Turner 1, Banks 1, Gooch 1), Total fouls: Tribulation Prep 17, McLennan 16; Record: McLennan 11-3.
