On the final day of the Grayson Classic, the No. 11 McLennan women defeated the No. 2 Trinity Valley Cardinals 88-73. With the win, McLennan moves to 4-1 on the season.
McLennan opened the game with a four-point play as Alaina Payne drained a 3-pointer from the corner and the and-one free throw following the April Edwards foul. Mersadez Nephew added a long jumper from the baseline to make it an early six-point McLennan lead. The swarming defense kept Trinity Valley off balance, allowing McLennan to extend the lead to 10 at 16-6 midway through the first quarter. Trinity Valley cut the lead to six two minutes later, and McLennan led 25-17 at the end of the quarter.
Trinity Valley mad a slight rally in the second quarter, cutting the lead to five at 29-24 with 5:12 to go in the period. McLennan led 39-33 with 1:30 to go in the half and ended the period on a 7-0 run including a last-second 3-pointer by Saneea Bevley to take the 46-33 lead at intermission.
The Cardinals opened the third quarter on a 7-2 run, cutting the McLennan lead to eight at 48-40 with 8:55 on the clock. McLennan took control, using a 14-4 run over the next four minutes to extend the lead to 18, 62-44. Trinity Valley rallied again, trimming the lead back to 13 going into the final quarter, 65-52.
The fourth quarter was a series of runs. McLennan led by 11, 65-54, with 9:37 remaining in the game. A 6-0 run with two points by Aysia Ward and four points from Aniya Williams pushed the lead to 17, 71-54. Trinity Valley responded with a 6-0 run of its own to quickly make it an 11-point game again. Back-to-back buckets by Niyah Johnson and a 3-pointer from Bevley put McLennan back up by 18, 78-60, and they cruised the rest of the way.
Saneea Bevley led with 21 points and Alaina Payne added 20. Mersadez Nephew and Aniya Williams scored 16 and 14, respectively.
McLennan: Aysia Ward 4 1-2 9; Saneea Bevley 6 5-6 21; Alaina Payne 6 6-7 20; Mersadez Nephew 6 2-3 16; Jalayah Ingram 0 0-0 0; Peyton Hearvey 0 0-0 0; Niyah Johnson 2 0-0 4; Aniya Williams 6 2-3 14; Pauline Maccarthy 2 0-0 4; Totals: 32 16-21 88.
Trinity Valley: Tyla Roberts 2 2-4 6; Lydie Mwamba 3 4-4 11; Kynnedi Davis 2 0-0 5; Kierra Sanderlin 11 3-4 26; Breanna Baxter 0 0-0 0; April Edwards 5 3-3 15; Madison Bush 0 0-0 0; Kennedi Johnson 1 7-10 10; Totals: 24 19-27 73.
First Quarter score: McLennan 25, Trinity Valley 17; Halftime score: McLennan 46, Trinity Valley 33; Third Quarter score: McLennan 65, Trinity Valley 52; 3-pointers: McLennan 8 (Bevley 4, Payne 2, Nephew 2), Trinity Valley 6 (Edwards 2, Mwamba 1, Davis 1, Sanderlin 1, Johnson 1); Total fouls: McLennan 19, Trinity Valley 23; Record: McLennan 4-1.
