WACO, Texas (KWTX) – The McLennan Highlanders came up short this afternoon, falling to the New Mexico Military Broncos 74-71 in overtime of their quarterfinal game at the Region V Tournament in Lubbock.
New Mexico Military scored first with a long jumper from Jonathan Salazar in what would turn out to be a series of runs between the two squads. McLennan took control at point, opening on a 9-0 run highlighted by five points from Dillon Gooding, to build a seven-point lead at 9-2 with 17:07 to go in the half.
The Broncos trimmed the lead to five just over two minutes later at 12-7 but the Highlanders pulled away. McLennan took its first double-digit lead at 17-7 and pushed the lead to 12 with 10:54 to play, 21-9. A 6-0 run by New Mexico Military cut the lead in half, 21-17, with 7:14 to go. The Highlanders responded with a 7-0 run to push the lead back to 12 with just over five minutes remaining in the half. The Broncos rallied again in the final minutes of the half to cut the McLennan lead to five at the break, 35-30. New Mexico Military opened on the second half on a 4-2 run to cut the lead to three, 37-34.
Once again, the Highlanders took control with an 8-0 run to push the lead back to double figures at 45-34. McLennan kept the Broncos at arm’s length for the majority of the half and led 59-47 with 8:08 remaining in the contest. New Mexico Military began to fight its way back from the deficit and pulled within three with 1:02 on the clock, 64-61. Amiri Crowder got loose for a Bronco layup with 15.85 seconds to go to pull New Mexico within one, 64-63.
CJ Hall went to the line for the Highlanders with 13.2 seconds on the clock but both shots bounced off the iron. A foul under the basket with 1.23 seconds to play put Salazar on the line for the Broncos. Salazar’s first shot bounced off the iron but the second one went in, tying the game at 64 and forcing the overtime. In the extra period, both teams added a pair of free throws in the firs minute. A driving shot in the lane by Courtland Blake put McLennan up 68-66 with 3:30 to go.
The Broncos’ Isaiah Williams hit a 3-pointer with just over three minutes to play to give New Mexico Military the 69-68 lead. Gooding went 2-2 from the free throw line with 1:50 to go to put McLennan back on top, 70-69.
A pair of Luis Riascos Varon free throws with 1:30 to play put the Broncos up 71-70. Crowder added another free throw for the Broncos to give them the two-point lead with 30 seconds to play. McLennan’s Justin Wilson added a free throw to put the Highlanders within one, 72-71, with 4.51 seconds on the clock. John Mapiou and Chris Bready each added a free throw in the final seconds to secure the win for the Broncos.
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