Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
McLennan Athletics

Highlanders sprint by Roadrunners

Highlanders sprint by Roadrunners
December 1, 2025

The McLennan Highlander sprinted by the Angelina Roadrunners 51-37 tonight in Lufkin.
 
Max Blank got the scoring starting for the Highlanders with a bucket-and-one on the first possession. Angelina tied the game with Clarence Payia 3-pointer from the corner. A pair of free throws from Avion Jackson followed by a jumper by Joseph Mayberry III gave McLennan the four-point lead, 7-3. The Highlanders continued to lead by four at 9-5 with 15:23 in the first half. The Roadrunners tied the game at nine three minutes later. The teams traded the lead with Angelina leading 17-15 with 5:20 to go. A pair of free throws from Blank followed by a three-point play by Katayvon Jefferies put McLennan up 20-17 at the final media timeout. The Roadrunners tied the game at 20 before a Howard Gaskins Jr. with 54 seconds left put the Highlanders back up by two, 22-20, and they carried it into the locker room.
 
The tables turned for the Highlanders in the second half. McLennan led 27-26 with 14 minutes remaining in the game. A basket by Gaskins Jr. ignited a Highlander 19-0 run that lasted eight minutes, putting McLennan up 46-26 with 6:40 on the clock. The Highlanders held off the Roadrunners the rest of the way for the lop-sided win.
 
Howard Gaskins Jr. led the Highlanders with 13 points, and Joseph Mayberry III scored 10.
 
McLennan: Julian Cuillier 0 0-0 0; Aiden Law 0 0-0 0; Joseph Mayberry III 3 3-4 10; Kardae Turner 0 0-0 0; Amare Banks 4 0-0 9; Katayvon Jefferies 2 1-1 6; Avion Jackson 2 2-2 6; Timi Ibikunle 0 0-0 0; Habeeb Yusuf 0 0-0 0; Howard Gaskins Jr. 3 6-6 13; Joe Burgess 1 0-0 2; Maximilian Blank 1 3-3 5; Totals: 16 15-16 51.
 
Angelina: Kai'Ree Murray 1 4-4 7; Cedric Jones 0 0-1 0; Milton Rice III 0 0-0 0; Julius Crosby 1 2-2 4; Zacchae'Us Sells 0 0-0 0; Clarence Payia 4 0-0 9; Jordan Mathews 0 0-0 0; Daemon Ely 2 4-6 8; Jaden Spears 3 0-0 8; Cheikh Diebakhate 0 0-0 0; Ronald Durham 0 1-2 1; Totals: 11 11-15 37.
 
Halftime score: McLennan 22. Angelina 20; 3-pointers: McLennan 4 (Mayberry III 1, Banks 1, Jefferies 1, Gaskins Jr. 1), Angelina (Spears 2, Payia 1, Murray 1); Total fouls: McLennan 13, Angelina 13; Record: McLennan 8-1.