As is always the case when McLennan and Ranger meet on the hardwood, it was a rough and tumble game from opening tip to the final buzzer between the Highlanders and No. 6 Rangers. The Rangers would prevail in the end, narrowly defeating the Highlanders 71-67.
The energy was high as the Highlanders and Rangers took the floor before a large, rowdy crowd. Ranger’s Heritier Ngalamulume put the Rangers on the board with 18:25 to play in the first half. McLennan’s Casey Armour drained a pair of free throws a minute later to tie the game at two. The teams traded baskets and the lead for the next six minutes and the game would be tied at 13 with 11:58 to play in the first half. McLennan began to pull away with a 9-2 run capped off by an Armour dunk with 8:49 to go, 22-15. The Highlanders extended the lead to 13, 30-17, with just over five minutes remaining in the half. Ranger responded with a 7-0 run to pull within six and trailed the Highlanders by five at the half, 35-30.
Ranger opened the second half with a quick bucket to get within three of McLennan, 35-32. Buckets by Mike Adewunmi and Dayante McClellan would give the Highlanders a little breathing room, 39-32 with 17:21 to play. Ranger stepped up with a 6-0 run to pull within one, 39-38. Another McLennan run, this one of the 8-2 variety would put the Highlanders back up by seven, 47-40. The Rangers scored the next eight points to take the 48-47 lead midway through the second half. The Highlanders and Rangers traded bucket-for-bucket until the final five minutes. The game was tied at 59 with 4:46 on the clock. Ranger’s Brayan Au hit a 3-pointer to put Ranger ahead. Ranger extended the lead to four several times down the stretch and McLennan would pull within one several times. Ranger led 69-65 with 14.4 seconds to play. An Xavier Armstead drive in the lane would pull the Highlanders within two, 69-67 with 4.4 seconds to go. Ranger’s Jaren English hit two free throws in the final seconds to steal the win.
Xavier Armstead led the way for the Highlanders with 14 points. Dayante McClellan recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Mike Adewunmi scored 11.
In women’s action, the Ranger Lady Rangers edged out the McLennan Highlassies 69-62.
Sophomore post Desirae Devine ignited the Highlassie spark and put McLennan on the board with a nothing-but-net 3-pointer from the elbow as the opening shot clock expired. The game was tight through the first quarter with neither team gaining more than a three-point lead. McLennan would lead 25-24 after the first quarter. The game was tied at 29 with 7:21 to go in the second quarter. Ranger used a 7-0 run to begin pulling away and extended the lead to 11, 43-32, with a few ticks under five minutes to go in the half. The Highlassies ended the quarter on a 5-0 run to cut the Ranger lead to six at the break, 43-37.
Ny’Asia Goldman hit a 3-pointer for McLennan less than 30 seconds into the third quarter to pull the Highlassies within two but Ranger pulled away. The Lady Rangers extended the lead to 11 once again, 54-43, but the Highlassies didn’t lose their fight. McLennan ended the third on an 8-2 run to pull within five heading to the final quarter, 56-51. The Highlassies’ rally would continue into the fourth and the squad would trail by only one, 57-56, with five minutes remaining. Ranger extended the lead to seven with 2:30 to play and the Highlassies were unable to recover.
Annya Moss led the Highlassies with 19 points and KeeKee Nowlin added 12. Desirae Devine recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
McLennan hosts Collin Saturday with women’s action getting underway at 2 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 4 p.m.
