As is always the case when the McLennan Highlanders and Temple Leopards meet on the hardwood, tonight's game was a heated rivalry matchup with the Leopards taking the 94-86 victory.
McLennan opened the game running and gunning jumping out to an early 8-0 lead. Temple quickly found its rhythm responding with a 6-0 run to cut the McLennan lead to two. A 7-0 run by the Highlanders featuring five points from Garrett Shaw put McLennan up by nine with 14:10 to go in the first half. The Highlanders led by six midway through the half, 24-18. The Leopards used a 10-0 run over the next four minutes to build a four-point lead, 28-24. McLennan's Willie Thomas got hot, scoring six straight points to tie the game at 30 with just under five minutes to play in the half. The game was tied at 32 with 4:30 on the clock. The Highlanders pulled away, using a 12-0 run and held the 47-40 advantage at the break.
The Highlanders led by 10, 59-49, with 15:45 remaining in the game. Temple used an 8-0 run over a two-minute span to pull within two, 59-57. McLennan extended the lead back to eight with back-to-back 3-pointers by Garrett Shaw and Javen Hedgeman. The Leopards' Bryson Etienne got hot and Temple took a one-point lead at 70-69 with 5:34 to play. The Leopards extended the lead to three on a Kedrian Johnson dunk, 72-69, but the Highlanders weren't done. A pair of Creighton Avery free throws and a Xavier Armstead bucket put the Highlanders on top 73-72. The teams traded baskets free throws and the lead, leaving the game tied at 77 with 1:10 to play. McLennan's Jordan Skipper-Brown drained two free throws to put the Highlanders up by two 79-77. Xavier Armstead went 1-2 from the line to put McLennan up by three, 80-77 with 13.2 to go. Temple's Sammy Brooks launched a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 5.3 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
In the extra period, Dayante McClellan drained a jumper followed by a Jordan Skipper-Brown dunk to give McLennan the 84-80 lead with 3:02 to go. A pair of free throws each from Bryson Etienne and Kedarian Johnson tied the game at 84. Javen Hedgeman gave the Highlanders the 86-84 lead with a pair of free throws with 1:27 on the clock. The Leopards' Sammy Brooks banked a shot off the glass 1:12 to tie the game at 86 with 1:12 on the clock. Temple ended the overtime period on an 8-0 run to steal the win.
Jordan Skipper-Brown led the Highlanders with 16 points. Willie Thomas and Xavier Armstead scored 14 points each. Javen Hedgeman and Garrett Shaw added 12 and 10, respectively.
In women's action, the McLennan Highlassies held off a late rally by the Temple Lady Leopards to pick up the 76-74 victory.
McLennan took the court full of energy and began the scoring on an Anastacia Mickens free throw with 9:21 to go in the first quarter. The Highlassies led 6-5 with 6:37 to go in the first half. McLennan began to pull away, using a 9-0 run over the next two minutes to build a 10-point lead, 15-5. The Highlassies held the Lady Leopards at arm's length down the stretch in the quarter and led by 11 going into the second period. 27-16.
Temple opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run to trim the McLennan lead to five with 8:18 to go in the second quarter. The Lady Leopards pulled within two, 35-33, with 1:28 remaining before the break. McLennan ended the half with buckets from Harmony Pettis and KeeKee Nowlin to extend the lead to six at halftime, 39-33.
McLennan fired up again in the third quarter, opening on a 9-0 run to extend the lead to 15 with 7:23 to go. The Highlassies held the momentum and continued to pull away, leading by 19, 58-39 with 2:07 to play in the third. Temple ended the quarter on a 6-0 run to begin chipping away at the McLennan lead. The Highlassies would lead by 13, 58-45, going to the final period.
Temple's momentum carried over into the fourth quarter. The Lady Leopards continued to whittle away at the lead, pulling within two at 71-69 with 29 seconds remaining in the game. A Ny'Asia Goldman free throw followed by a KeeKee Nowlin steal and Annya Moss layup put the Highlassies back up by five 74-69. McLennan continued to hold the five-point lead, 76-71 with 2.6 seconds on the clock. Temple's Makayla Gatewood drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer but it wasn't enough.
KeeKee Nowlin led McLennan with 24 points. Annya Moss and Ny'Asia Goldman chipped in 13 and 10, respectively.
McLennan travels to Terrell Wednesday to face Southwestern Christian. The women's game will begin at 3 p.m., followed by the men's game at 5 p.m.
Temple 94, McLennan 86
Temple: Kedarian Johnson 7 14-15 32; Sammy Brooks 6 4-4 18; Sebastian Karwoski 1 6-6 8; Terreon Randolph 5 1-1 33; Jerrod Smith 0 0-0 0; Bryson Etienne 8 3-3 20; Curry Flowers 2 2-2 7; Jibrael Washington 1 0-0 2; Totals: 28 30-31 94.
McLennan: Javen Hedgeman 4 2-2 12; Creighton Avery 2 4-5 8; Mike Adewunmi 0 1-2 1; Xavier Armstead 6 1-2 14; Casey Armour 1 2-2 4; Garrett Shaw 3 2-3 10; Dayante McClellan 2 1-2 7; Willie Thomas 6 2-2 14; Jordan Skipper-Brown 7 2-2 16; Ja'Lyn Banks 0 0-0 0; Totals: 32 17-22 86.
3-pointers: Temple 8 (Johnson 4, Brooks 2, Etienne 1, Flowers 1), McLennan 5 (Shaw 2, Armour 2, Armstead 1); Total fouls: Temple 22, McLennan 14; Fouled out: McLennan (McClellan); Halftime score: McLennan 47, Temple 40; Record: McLennan 19-8 (5-6).
McLennan 76, Temple 74
Temple: Mikayla Green 5 6-8 20; Alena Johnston 7 1-2 22; Ayleen Carrizales 1 1-2 3; Makayla Gatewood 5 5-8 16; Doriana Brown 1 0-0 2; Tyra Tanner 0 2-2 2; Treazure Mouton 3 1-3 9; Brooke Lopez 0 0-0 0; Totals: 22 18-28 74.
McLennan: Jada McHenry 2 2-2 8; Ny'Asia Goldman 4 2-2 10; Kenidi White 1 0-0 3; Gabby Cleveland 1 0-0 2; Harmony Pettis 1 0-0 2; KeeKee Nowlin 10 3-4 24; Annya Moss 4 3-4 13; Raveen Blue 0 3-4 3; Shequana Jackson 0 0-0 0; Anastacia Mickens 1 3-4 5; Desirae Devine 2 2-2 6; Totals: 26 18-23 76.
3-pointers: Temple 12 (Johnston 7, Green 4, Gatewood 1), McLennan 6 (Moss 2, McHenry 2, Nowlin 1, White 1); Total fouls: Temple 15, McLennan 21; Fouled out: Temple (Brown), McLennan (Devine); Halftime score: McLennan 39, Temple 33; Record: McLennan 11-15 (2-11).
