The McLennan Highlassies erased a 16-point deficit to defeat the Weatherford Coyotes 80-71 on the road in Weatherford.
It was a close game throughout the first quarter. Adreanna Waddle began the scoring with a bucket off the glass just 30 seconds into the game. Chelsea Wooten put McLennan ahead 3-2 with a 3-pointer from the win with 8:28 to go in the first quarter. The Highlassies led 5-4 with 7:20 to go. Weatherford's Deja Lumsden and Briarley Rogers hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Coyotes a five-point lead with 6:27 to go in the quarter, 10-5. McLennan's Saneea Bevley responded with a 5-0 run of her own to the game at 10. The teams traded baskets with McLennan trailing 15-14 in the final 30seconds of the quarter. Helena Svilberg's floater in the lane made it a three-point Weatherford lead going into the second, 17-14.
McLennan's shooters went cold to start the second period, allowing Weatherford to pull away. The Highlassies hit just one basket in the seven minutes, allowing the Coyotes to take their largest lead at 36-20 with 1:49 to play before halftime. McLennan's Miannah Little stepped up, scoring seven points down the stretch to cut the lead to 11 at the break, 38-27.
The Highlassies came roaring back in the third quarter. Weatherford led by 12, 45-33, midway through the quarter. Bineta Diatta, Aniya Williams and Bevley combined for a 6-0 McLennan run to cut the lead in half, 45-39. The Highlassies continued to rally. With the Coyotes leading 51-43 with 3:44 to play in the quarter, McLennan used a 7-0 run to tie the game at 51. Weatherford then ended the quarter on a 5-3 run to lead by two heading into the fourth, 55-54.
McLennan took the lead early on the fourth on a Diatta bucket and began to create some distance over the Coyotes. The Highlassies took the first double-digit lead at 71-61 on a Little 3-pointer with 5:51 to play. McLennan led by as many as 13 in the final minutes to secure the win.
Little led the way for the Highlassies with 29 points. Aniya Williams and Chelsea Wooten added 18 and 11, respectively.
McLennan: Aysia Ward 0 0-0 0; Chelsea Wooten 4 0-0 11; Miannah Little 9 10-13 29;
Saneea Bevley 3 0-0 7; Jaydyn Bullard 3 0-0 7; Niamh Heath 0 0-0 0; Bineta Diatta 3 0-1 6; Aniya Williams 7 4-6 18; Cynaye Bobbitt 0 0-0 0; Aaliyah Holmes 0 0-0 0; Capri Garrett 1 0-0 2; Totals: 30 14-20 80.
Weatherford: Diana Mozer 0 0-0 0; Ksenija Djokic 1 0-0 2; Hena Spahic-Horton 0 0-0 0; Helena Svilberg 3 2-2 9; Celise Bobbitt 5 6-8 16; Adreanna Waddle 8 1-1 17; Deja Lumsden 2 0-1 5; Mikayla Green 3 4-8 13; Petula Ferreira 0 0-0 0; Briarley Rogers; Totals: 25 13-20 70.
3-pointers: McLennan 4 (Wooten 1, Little 1, Bevley 1, Bullard 1), Weatherford 7 (Green 3, Rogers 2, Lumsden 1, Svilberg 1); Total fouls: McLennan 16; Weatherford 19; Halftime score: Weatherford 38, McLennan 27; Record: McLennan 21-2 (9-1).
