Highlasssies close out season with come-from-behind victory over Weatherford

On Sophomore Night at The Highlands, the McLennan Highlassies came back from a double-digit deficit to defeat the Weatherford Lady Coyotes 77-75.
 
It appeared that it would be all Weatherford at the start as the Lady Coyotes opened the game on a 7-0 run. Jade Bradley put McLennan on the board with a jumper from the lane with 7:45 to play in the first. Weatherford added a free throw before back-to-back 3-pointers by Raija Todd and Mele Kaloni Kailahi tied the game at eight with 6:23 to go. The Lady Coyotes responded with a 5-0 run and led 17-12 with 2:32 to go in the first. McLennan rallied to tie the game at 17 and took a 3-point lead at 20-17 on a Yumon Simien 3-pointer. The Highlassies would lead 21-19 at the end of the first.
 
Weatherford tied the game at 21 less than a minute into the second quarter on a Adela Valkoba shot from the lane. The two teams traded the lead with Weatherford lead 33-32 with 2:21 to go before the break. The Lady Coyotes ended the quarter on a 10-1 run to take the 43-33 advantage at the break.
 
The Lady Coyotes continued to pull away to start the third, extending the lead to 15 at 50-35 with 7:37 to play in the quarter. The Highlassies began to rally late in the quarter, cutting the lead to six going into the final period, 59-53.
 
McLennan continued its comeback in the fourth quarter, pulling within one with 2:52 to go, 71-70. The teams traded trips to the charity stripe and Weatherford led 75-72 with 1:26 remaining. The Highlassies tied the game at 75 on a Kailahi 3-pointer from the elbow with 33 seconds on the clock. McLennan stepped up and made a stop on the defensive end of the court. Jade Bradley then got loose for a layup to put the Highlassies up 77-75 with eight seconds left. The McLennan defense held and the last-second shot by Weatherford was short.
 
Jade Bradley led the Highlassies with 18 points and Mele Kaloni Kailahi chipped in 17. Raija Todd and Elizabeth Critton socred 13 and 10, respectively.

McLennan 77, Weatherford 75
Weatherford: Anna Jefferson-Polk 1 1-2 4; Destiny McAfee 7 8-10 22; Jessica Nerestant 0 0-0 0; Monika Faerber 3 33-4 9; Kay-Hauata Phillips 3 2-2 8; Faith Norman 0-0 0; Marina Marti-Colomer 0 0-0 0; Sumaiyah Abdur-Rahim 0 0-0 0; Laney Dixon 1 0-0 3; Ashawntae Brown 3 3-4 9; Diamond Sweats 0 4-4 4; Adela Valkova 6 2-3 14; Totals: 25 23-29 75.
 
McLennan: Raija Todd 4 1-2 13; Ny'Asia Goldman 0 1-2 1; Kenidi White 1 0-0 3; Jaidyn Fontenette 0 1-2 1; Yumon Simien 1 0-0 3; Jade Bradley 5 7-7 18; Mele Kaloni Kailahi 4 5-8 17; Annya Moss1 0-2 2; Elizabeth Critton 2 6-7 10; Marquise Nelson 1 3-4 5; Seynabou Thiam 2 0-0 4; Totals: 21 24-34 77.
 
3-pointers: Weatherford 2 (Jefferson Park 1, Dixon 1), McLennan 11 (Todd 4, Kailahi 4, White 1, Simien 1, Bradley 1); Total fouls: Weatherford 24, McLennan 22; Fouled out: Weatherford (Faerber, Phillips, Brown, Valkova); Halftime score: Weatherford 43, McLennan 33; Record: McLennan 19-11 (9-7).