The McLennan women battled hard before falling to the Grayson Vikings 81-70 in overtime this afternoon at The Highlands.
McLennan was on fire to start the game. Charnelle Hoof opened with back-to-back baskets that started a 10-3 run for McLennan they lasted for over four minutes of play. Madison Martin drained a 3-pointer for Grayson with 5:16 to go in the frame that started a comeback, and the game would be tied at 14 going into the second.
The second quarter back-and-forth for seven minutes of play. The game was tied at 25 with 2:20 to go before the half. Grayson used a 6-0 run to go up 31-27 with one minute on the lock. Neveah Otis added a jumper for McLennan late to make it 31-27 Vikings at the break.
McLennan cut the lead to one early in the third, 32-33, but Grayson created a little distance with a 6-0 to go ahead by seven, 39-32. A pair of buckets by Lanaijha Johnson cut the lead in half at 39-36 with five minutes to go in the frame. The Vikings pushed the lead back to six and led 48-44 after three quarters.
Grayson had the momentum early in the fourth, extending the lead to seven at 55-48. McLennan began to chip away with back-to-back baskets by Johnson and Hoof, trimming the lead to three, 55-52. Once again, McLennan began to chip away at the lead and pulled within one at 57-56 on a Charravia Smith jumper with 3:39 to play. The Vikings responded with a 5-0 run to go back up by six, 62-56. Smith and Johnson stepped up for McLennan with a 6-0 run to tie the game at 62 with 1:33. After exchanging baskets and multiple timeouts, the game was knotted at 66 with 19.86 to play in regulation. McLennan had the ball under its own basket by couldn't get a shot to fall, forcing overtime.
In the extra frame, McLennan went up by two, 68-66, following a defensive steal and layup by Otis. Grayson's Andrea Johnson tied the game with a pair free throws and Lily Melton hit a 3-pointer to put Grayson up 71-68. Melton's shot started an 13-2 run to put the game out of reach.
Lanaijha Johnson led McLennan with 21 points, and Nevaeh Otis scored 10.
Grayson: Tahlaya Biglow 1 0-0 2; Andrea Johnson 2 6-6 10; Iv Jackson 1 2-2 4; Madison Martin 7 7-10 23; Susan Fahnbulleh 0 2-2 2; Fia Filoialii 4 0-2 10; Lily Melton 2 2-2 7; Jaycee Ingram 9 3-4 23; Totals: 26 22-33 81.
McLennan: Nevaeh Otis 5 0-0 10; Kaedynce Cox-Dunlap 2 0-0 5; Ar'Mya Amos-Horsley 1 0-0 2; Shakira Brown 1 0-0 3; Charnelle Hoof 3 0-2 8; Tajenae Gooden 2 3-4 7; Charravia Smith 4 0-0 8; Trinity Butler 1 0-0 2; Danai Lewis 2 0-2 4; Taniya Cruthird 0 0-0 0; Lanaijha Johnson 10 1-2 21; Totals: 31 4-10 70.
Halftime score: Grayson 31, McLennan 27; 3-pointers: Grayson 7 (Martin 2, Filoialii 2, Ingram 2), McLennan 2 (Brown 1, Cox-Dunlap 1); Total fouls: Grayson 11, McLennan 20; Record: McLennan 20-5 (8-4).
