The ninth-ranked McLennan women closed out the Evelyn Blalock Classic and the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 63-58 victory over the Kilgore Lady Rangers.
The two teams traded baskets for the first five minutes of play with Kilgore leading 8-6 at the first media timeout. McLennan returned to the floor with an added sense of urgency, using a 7-0 including five points from Saneea Bevley to take the 13-8 lead with 4:26 to go in the first. Kilgore responded with a 4-0 run to cut the lead back to one, 13-12. Bevley added a long jumper to make it a 15-12 McLennan lead at the end of the first.
McLennan dominated on both ends of the floor to start the second quarter. Five shooters combined for a 12-1 run as McLennan held Kilgore to just a free throw in almost four minutes of play to build a 14-point lead, 27-13. A bucket by BryKayla Hampton would be Kilgore's first field goal of the period, and the Lady Rangers began to chip away at the lead, pulling within six at 31-25 with 1:40 remaining before the half. McLennan closed the quarter on a 6-2 run to lead 37-27 at the break.
Both offensives appeared to slow down to start the second half. McLennan found a rhythm and extended the lead to 16 with 4:40 to go in the third, 47-31. Kilgore began to rally, closing the frame on a 12-2 run to cut the McLennan lead to six going into the final period, 49-43.
Kilgore held the momentum into the fourth, trimming the lead to four multiple times early in the quarter. McLennan led by seven, 58-51, with 3:53 to go in the game. The Lady Rangers used a 5-0 run capped by a Jarahle Daniels 3-pointer pulled Kilgore within two, 58-56. McLennan continued to lead by two, 60-58 with -44 seconds to play. Aniya Williams banked a shot off the glass, and Bevley went 1-2 from the free throw line to push the lead to five, 63-58 with 15 seconds to go to secure the win.
McLennan: Aysia Ward 5 5-5 15; Saneea Bevley 5 1-3 12; Alaina Payne 1 0-0 2; Mersadez Nephew 3 3-4 10; Jalayah Ingram 3 0-0 7; Peyton Hearvey 2 0-0 4; Aniya Williams 6 0-0 12; Kalisha Phillips 0 0-0 0; Pauline Maccarthy 0 1-2 1; Totals: 25 10-14 63.
Kilgore: Jordan Wright 2 0-0 4; Jarahle Daniels 4 4-4 13; BryKayla Hampton 2 3-4 7; Tylissa Henderson 0 1-2 1; Jazmyn Sostand 3 2-2 9; Nyla Inmon1 6-6 8; Perina Lieme 0 0-0 0; Nakiyah Allen 7 2-2 16; Totals: 19 18-20 58.
First Quarter score: McLennan 15, Kilgore 12; Halftime score: McLennan 37, Kilgore 27; Third Quarter score: McLennan 49, Kilgore 43; 3-pointers: McLennan 3 (Bevley 1, Nephew 1, Ingram 1), Kilgore 2 (Daniels 1, Sostand 1); Total fouls: McLennan 19, Kilgore 19; Fouled out: Hampton (Kilgore); Record: McLennan 11-3.
