Jones sweeps EMCC
in basketball openers
By By Shawn Wansley / special to The Star
November 2, 2004
ELLISVILLE The East Mississippi Community College Lions led Jones Junior College for about 38 1/2 minutes of the season-opening basketball game for both teams here Monday night at Bobcat Gym.
But the Bobcats led when it counted most.
Down 62-49 with just eight minutes to play, Jones outscored EMCC 26-12 to post a 75-74 victory.
finally did.
Jones men 75 – EMCC 74
The Bobcats had three leads in the first half: 15-13 at the 14:09 mark, 22-21 with 11:38 left and 36-35 with 2:18 showing. EMCC's Gino Perry scored with 1:29 left in the first half to give the Lions a 37-36 lead at intermission.
EMCC stormed out to a 54-42 lead with 13:50 left when Perry scored again. Jarvis Williams later made back-to-back baskets to put the Lions up 62-49 with 8:05 left in the game.
But that's when the Bobcats caught fire.
They cut the lead to 64-63 with 5:24 left when Jammie Evans hit an 18-footer. They were within 69-68 with 1:53 left when Evans made a free
throw.
They finally took the lead when Milton Collins came up with a steal and got the ball to Prince Trotter, who scored and drew the foul. Trotter, a Quitman freshman, hit the free throw and Jones was up 71-69 with 1:16 left.
Phillip Lockhart had 24 for EMCC. He hit three straight 3-pointers early in
the second half. Boo Ramsey added 12 and Williams had 11.
Lady Bobcats 78 – Lady Lions 61
Jones led 31-25 at the half and was up 43-38 with 14 1/2 minutes remaining when they went on their decisive run.
Wayne County sophomore Natalie Jordan paced the Lady Bobcats with 22 points, with 14 coming in the first half.
Brittany Baham added 14 for Jones, while Jackson had 11. Kemonica McGee and Jennifer Jones had 11 each for EMCC.
ECCC splits with Bevill (Ala.) State
The East Central Community College women's basketball team started the season off with a bang on Monday night, while the men's team faded in the second half to suffer a season-opening loss.
The Lady Warriors topped Bevill State 80-66, while the ECCC men fell 94-85.
East Central's women led Bevill 41-19 at the half and held off a second-half charge to win by 14. Freshman Dominetrix Hunter led the Lady Warriors with 20 points in her junior college debut, and Kim Cox scored 15. West Lauderdale product Shannon Lloyd scored 10 points.
The men's team trailed Bevill State by only three at halftime, but the Warriors (1-0) were unable to keep up in the second half. Ricardo Alcantar led East Central with 17 points. Tawon Walker and Andrew Lewis each scored 12, and Terrance McNichols added 10.
Both East Central squads face Holmes on Thursday.
Will Bardwell
