The seventh-ranked McLennan women's basketball squad crushed the Cisco Wranglers 60-38 to open North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference play.
The first two quarters was a series of alternating runs for the two squads. McLennan's Danai Lewis made a bucket from the lane to open the scoring. Cisco responded with a 5-0 run to take the early lead, 5-2. Back-to-back baskets from Lanaijha Johnson and Charravia Smith put McLennan back on top, 6-5. The teams traded buckets, and the game was tied at nine with 3:44 to play in the first quarter. McLennan put together a 6-0 run including two buckets by Johnson to lead 15-9 with a minute to go. Cisco ended the quarter with a basket by Ma'Kayla Mayes to trim it to a four-point McLennan lead, 15-11.
The Wranglers opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer from the corner by Aaliyah Morris followed by a put-back bucket from Sanaa Hayes to take the 16-15 lead. McLennan rallied with a floater from Smith followed by a 3-pointer from the top of the key by Tajenae Gooden to lead 20-16 with 6:38 remaining before the half. Once again, the teams traded the lead before coming to a tie at 22 with 2:31 to go. A Johnson free throw ignited a 10-0 run capped with a Gooden layup just before the buzzer to put McLennan up 32-22 at intermission.
McLennan stepped up in the third quarter. Already up 34-24, Shakira Brown stepped up with a 5-0 run on her own followed by another bucket from Johnson and 3-pointer from Gooden to push the lead to 20, 44-24 with just under three minutes to go in the frame. McLennan would hold the Wranglers to just three points in the quarter to hold the 46-25 advantage into the fourth.
Cisco picked up the scoring pace slightly in the fourth but was unable to overcome to cut in the deficit.
Lanaijha Johnson led McLennan with 15 points. Tajenae Gooden and Trinity Butler scored 11 and 10, respectively.
Cisco: Ma'Kayla Mayes 5 6-11 16; Aaliyah Mathis 3 1-2 9; Nella Bernasova 0 0-0 0; Addison Owens 1 0-0 2; Paulete Mbuangi 0 0-0 0; Sanaa Hayes 3 0-2 6; Pamina Montac 1 2-4 5; Totals: 13 9-19 38.
McLennan: Nevaeh Otis 0 0-0 0; Ar'Mya Amos-Horsley 0 0-2 0; Shakira Brown 2 0-0 5; Charnelle Hoof 2 2-2 6; Tajenae Gooden 4 1-2 11; Charravia Smith 3 0-2 6; Trinity Butler 3 2-2 10; Danai Lewis 3 1-4 7; Taniya Cruthird 0 0-0 0; Lanaijha Johnson 6 3-5 15; Kamara Effit 0 0-0 0; Totals: 23 9-19 60.
Halftime score: McLennan 32, Cisco 22; 3-pointers: Cisco 3 (Mathis 2, Montac 1), McLennan 5 (Gooden 2, Butler 2, Brown 1); Total fouls: Cisco 17, McLennan 19; Record: McLennan 13-1 (1-0).
