Lake Highlands basketball dismantled Irving MacArthur, 89-50, on Thursday at home.
Lake Highlands prepares to announce its starters ahead of a matchup with Irving MacArthur on January 22, 2026. Photo by James Baxley-Cross.
With inclement weather expected on Friday, the Wildcats and Cardinals (11-10, 3-4 District 7-6A) moved their game up to Thursday. The schedule change didn’t seem to rattle Lake Highlands (14-9, 6-1).
After losing to MacArthur to close the 2024-2025 regular season, the Wildcats appeared intent on revenge. But leading by just 17-16 after the first quarter, Lake Highlands was in peril of losing back-to-back against the Cardinals.
Landon Tatum opened the first with a rebound and putback layup to give MacArthur the first score of the game. Then Patrick Daniels jumped and intercepted a Wildcat pass. On the ensuing possession, Treyden Berryman buried a 3-pointer and the Cardinals led 5-0 with 6:38.
Lake Highlands head coach Joe Duffield, visibly frustrated, called a timeout and the Wildcats came out resolute. They went on a quick 7-0 run to ease back in front after Jay’Sean Wilkerson scored a pair of buckets and Jamion Broom hit a three.
MacArthur and Lake Highlands went back and forth from there. With just under nine seconds left in the first, the Wildcats inbounded to Henry Moore. Moore quickly surveyed the defense before attacking, using a long stride to lay the ball in and give Lake Highlands a one-point advantage as the quarter drew to a close.
From the second period on, the Wildcats were in control, more than doubling up the Cardinals through the final three quarters.
Eli Johnson paced Lake Highlands in the second, scoring 11 of his 14 points in the quarter. First, he drilled a left-wing 3-pointer before recording a putback layup a few possessions later. Then, Johnson really heated up.
Coming off a feed from Khamden Bradford, Johnson found space in the right corner and hoisted another triple, which fell through the net, bringing the score to 38-20.
Berryman responded with an and one on the other end, but Johnson had to get the last word.
On the final play of the second, he lost his defender before flashing to the top of the key. Broom found him and Johnson shot a quick-release three from a step beyond the arc with two seconds left. It went in, of course, and the Wildcats led 41-23 at halftime.
MacArthur never came back within striking distance, in part due to the play of Quincy Perkins. After scoring five first-half points, Perkins came alive in the third and fourth.
He hit three 3-pointers, two of which came in the second half, en route to a game-high 17 points. Perkins punctuated his performance with a steal and fastbreak layup while being fouled with 2:04 remaining in the game. He sank the free throw, giving Lake Highlands an 83-44 lead.
Wilkerson contributed 13 in the victory and Kevin Turner recorded all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals were led by Tatum and Jacob Herndon, who both scored 11. Berryman finished with 10, nine of which came in the first half.
MacArthur next plays against Berkner (5-20, 2-4) at 7 p.m. Tuesday on the road. The Cardinals lost their first matchup of the season against the Rams, 66-55.
The Wildcats will match up with Jesuit (11-12, 4-3) at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, as the Wildcats hit the road. Earlier this season, Lake Highlands defeated the Rangers, 64-41.
