MCC Highlanders Win, Highlassies Come Up Short
 By: Candice Kelm SuperCentex.com Correspondent
 January 18, 2010

The McLennan Highlanders picked up a big win on the road as they defeated the Temple Leopards 73-61 tonight in Temple.

Temple led 15-8 at the 12 minute mark of the first half. MCC jumped into action and used a 15-0 run in the next five minutes to build an eight point lead with just under seven minutes to play in the half. The Leopards cut the lead to four at halftime, 33-29.

Temple took a one-point lead with 13 minutes left on the clock but MCC regained the lead on the next possession and never looked back, breaking the game open with 14-2 run.

Sophomore Nafis Richardson led MCC with 17 points and Taylor Smith added 14. T. J. Johnson and Tre Nichols scored 10 each.

The victory marks the 350th win in the career of Kevin Gill as a college and high school head coach.

The McLennan Highlassies dropped a close one to the Temple Lady Leopards in the early game, 62-57.

MCC’ Katie Pavlik began the scoring; draining a pair of free throws less than a minute into the game. The Highlassies built a seven-point lead with 12:45 to go in the first half but Temple rallied back to tie the game at 24 with five minutes on the clock. The Lady Leopards ended the half on a 9-3 run to take the 33-27 lead at the break.

The Highlassies cut the lead to three early on in the second half but Temple pulled away once again, extending the lead to seven. MCC rallied back and took a one-point lead with a pair of Ashley Olvera free throws with six minutes to go in the game. Macy Wischmeier’s bucket extended the lead to three for MCC but Temple ended the game on a 10-2, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers by Jessica Sommers to steal the victory.

Freshman Ashley Olvera led the Highlassies with 16 points and Sara Stanley added 10.

MCC returns to action on Wednesday, hosting Hill in a doubleheader of North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference games. The women’s game begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 7:30 p.m.

McLennan: Ashley Olvera 5 6-6 16; Kiara Tate 2 1-2 5; Katie Pavlik 2 2-2 8; Ali Trojacek 2 0-0 6; Kenzi Johnson 1 0-0 2; Nikkitti Scott 0 2-2 2; Sara Stanley 5 0-1 10; Macy Wischmeier 3 0-0 8. Totals: 20 11-13 57.

Temple: Jessica Walker 1 0-0 2; Katie Korioth 1 0-0 2; Jessica Sommers 8 6-9 28; Andrea Johnson 2 0-2 6; Jocelyn Jarmon 6 0-1 12; Chloe Wallace 1 0-0 2; Kenesha Rich 2 0-0 4; Katy Scott 2 2-4 6. Totals: 21 10-16 62.

3-pointers: McLennan 6 (Pavlik 2, Trojacek 2, Wischmeier 2), Temple 6 (Sommers 6); Total fouls: McLennan 13, Temple15; Halftime score: Temple 33, McLennan 27. Record: McLennan 10-9 (3-2).

McLennan: Trell Porter 4 0-0 8; Nafis Richardson 4 8-8 17; T.J. Johnson 5 0-0 10; Zach Williams 3 1-4 7; Tre Nichols 3 2-2 10; Travis Flye 1 0-0 2; Taylor Smith 6 2-4 14; Steven Werner 3 0-0 6. Totals: 29 13-18 73.

Temple: Alex Lewis 2 2-2 8; Sully Haywood 3 1-1 8; Rayland Robinson 8 0-2 16;
Marlon Miller 10 0-0 21; Travis Gipson 0 0-2 0; Jordan Hillyer 1 0-0 2; George Nelson 3 0-0 3 6. Totals: 27 3-10 61.

3-pointers: McLennan 3 (Nichols 2, Richardson 1), Temple 2 (Haywood 1, Miller 1); Total fouls: McLennan 12, Temple 13; Halftime score: McLennan 33, Temple 29. Record: McLennan 18-2 (4-0).