The McLennan Highlanders head into a long break with a 10-3 record on the season following this event's 82-63 win over the Cedar Valley Suns in Lancaster.
The teams kept it close through the first nine minutes of play. Cedar Valley began the scoring with a Josh Beal dunk but Evan Chatman's turn-around jumper quickly tied the game. The Suns built a six-point lead at 10-4 but a steal and dunk by Chatman followed by a Kardae Turner layup cut the lead to two, 10-8. Marcel Hurst went 1-2 from the free throw line to make it a three-point lead, 11-8. Evan hit a shot of an inbound play, and Ari Gooch drained a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Highlanders their first lead at 13-11. The Suns tied the game at 13 on a Hurst jumper but McLennan responded with a bucket by Frederick Rogers III and back-to-back layups by Gooch to go ahead 19-13. The Highlanders continued to pull away down the stretch, taking the first double-digit lead at 26-16 with 7:14 to go before the half. McLennan still led by 10 but Rogers III added a basket with two seconds on the clock to make it a 12-point lead at intermission, 38-26.
McLennan opened the second half on a 5-0 run, pushing the lead to 17. The Highlanders extended the lead to 18, 48-30, before Cedar Valley put together a small rally. The Suns used a 6-0 run to cut the lead back to 12 but the Highlanders pulled away again. McLennan led by as many as 28 down the stretch, cruising to the victory.
Evan Chatman led the Highlanders with 27 points. Frederick Rogers III scored 21, and Ari Gooch added 11.
McLennan returns to action Dec. 28, hosting Tribulation Prep at 2 p.m.
McLennan: Rontavious Blackshear 1 1-2 4; Joseph Mayberry 2 5-6 9; Kardae Turner 2 0-0 4; Amare Banks 2 0-0 6; Ari Gooch 4 2-2 ; Keegan Rowell 0 0-0 0; Evan Chatman 11 3-3 27; John McQueen 0 0-0 0; Frederick Rogers, III 9 3-5 21; John Ateny 0 0-0 0; Totals: 31 14-18 82.
Cedar Valley: Josh Beall 2 2-3 5; Coreon Hardy 0 0-0 0; Marcel Hurst 7 4-7 18; Bryson Hill 1 7-8 9; Charlie Gutierrez 4 2-2 11; Bryan Sneed 1 0-0 3; Elijah Rouse 0 0-0 0; Chance Watkins 0 0-0 0; Chris Greenwood 0 1-2 1; Armani Reese 6 1-2 13; Kendall Mitchell1 0-0 2; Tochi Anusiem 0 0-1 0; Totals: 17-25 63.
Halftime score: McLennan 38, Cedar Valley 26; 3-pointers: McLennan 5 (Banks 2, Blackshear 1,Gooch 1, Chatman 1), Cedar Valley 2 Sneed 1, Gutierrez 1); Total fouls: McLennan 17, Cedar Valley 15; Record: McLennan 10-3.
