Highlanders, Highlassies Defeat Hill
 By: SuperCentex.com Correspondent Candice Kelm
 January 20, 2010

In a game that came down to the wire, the McLennan Highlassies squeaked by the Hill Lady Rebels 69-68.

The Highlassies built an eight-point lead early on but Hill rallied back to tie the game at 20 with 3:18 to go in the first half. The Lady Rebels continued the rally, building a seven point lead, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Kiara Tate and Ashley Olvera for MCC in the last minute of the half cut the lead to one at the break, 27-26.

MCC tied the game at 34 six minutes into the second half and built a 12-point lead with less than five minutes to play. Hill bounced back once again, pulling with one on a Jessica Lyons bucket with 12.2 seconds on the clock. The Highlassies turned the ball over with 4.45 seconds to go giving Hill a chance to steal the win, but the MCC defense kept the Lady Rebels from getting off a last second shot.

Nikkitti Scott and Kiara Tate led the Highlassies with 12 points each. Katie Pavlik and Sara Stanley scored 11 and 10, respectively.

In men’s action, the McLennan Highlanders stomped the Hill Rebels 75-51.

Hill took the early 4-0 lead but it was all MCC from that point on. The Highlanders took the lead with 16:09 to go in the first half and never looked back. MCC led by as many as 17 in the first half and held the 34-22 advantage at the break.

The Highlanders increased the lead to 20 with 8:46 to play in the game and cruised to the easy victory.

Nafis Richardson led the Highlanders with 20 points and Karlos Gary added 13. Taylor Smith and Steven Werner scored 10 each.

MCC has a bye on Saturday and will return to action next Wednesday in Weatherford. The women’s game will tip off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 7:30 p.m.

Hill: Desteney Howard4 0-0 11; Asia Rhines-Malone 4 0-0 9; Casey Farhat 1 7-9 9; Tajai Rodgers 0 3-4 3; Vicoria Felix 6 5-7 18; Jessica Lyons 4 4-4 12; Barbara Alvarado 0 2-4 2; Kenyadah Hopkins 2 0-2 4. Totals: 21 21-30 68.

McLennan: Ashley Olvera 3 1-2 9; Kiara Tate 2 7-12 12; Kanisha Clark 2 2-2 7; Katie Pavlik 3 2-2 11; Kenzi Johnson 1 0-0 2; Nikkitti Scott 3 6-8 12; Sara Stanley 4 2-7 10; Macy Wischmeier 2 0-0 6. Totals: 20 20-33 69.

3-pointers: Hill 5 (Howard 2, Rhines-Malone 1, Felix 1), McLennan 9 (Pavlik 3, Olvera 2, Wischmeier 2, Tate 1, Clark 1); Total fouls: Hill 28, McLennan 22;
Fouled out: Hill (Farhat, Felix), McLennan (Pavlik); Halftime score: Hill 27, McLennan 26. Record: McLennan 11-9 (4-2).

Hill: Mike Akins 0 2-2 2; Chris Kupets 5 2-2 13; T.J. Clark 2 4-7 8; Jonathan Velez 1 0-0 3; Odayne Clarke 4 4-7 12; Dino Stipcic 1 0-1 2; D-Andre Simmons 4 3-7 11. Totals: 17 15-26 51.

McLennan: Trell Porter 0 1-2 1; Nafis Richardson 8 0-0 20; Tre Nichols 3 2-2 8;
Karlos Gary 6 0-0 13; Travis Flye 1 1-2 3; Taylor Smith 6 0-0 12; Steven Werner 6 00 12; Earl Stinnett 3 0-0 6. Totals: 33 4-10 75

3-pointers: Hill 2 (Kupets 1, Velez 1), McLennan 5 (Richardson 4, Gary 1); Total fouls: Hill 11, McLennan 21; Halftime score: McLennan 34, Hill 22; Record: McLennan 19-2 (5-0).