By Shawn Wansley, JCJC Sports Information Director
CLINTON – East Mississippi Community College took the lead for good early in the second half and went on to defeat Jones County Junior College 71-56 here Monday afternoon in the opening round of the women’s Region 23 Tournament in the A.E. Wood Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi College.
East Mississippi, the defending regional champion, will now meet the winner of the Northwest/Baton Rouge Community College (La.) contest at noon on Wednesday in the semifinals.
JCJC ends the season at 22-6.
The Bobcat men’s team will take the court at noon on Tuesday against Itawamba Community College. The game will be shown on www.jcjc.tv with Lance Pittman and Mark Easley on the call. Airtime is 11:55 a.m.
Lady Lions 71, Lady Bobcats 56
The Lady Bobcats were coming off a second straight MACJC State Championship after sweeping three games at EMCC last week. But they could never find the right combination against the Lady Lions.
JCJC only shot 35.6 percent from the floor (21-of-59) and failed to connect on 10 shots from 3-point range. EMCC outrebounded the Lady Bobcats, 28-25.
JCJC had swept the Lady Lions during the regular season, 65-59 in Scooba, and 70-59 in Ellisville.
The Lady Bobcats got off to a good start, taking a 6-0 lead at the 17:03 mark of the first half when Tanecka Carey scored. The Lady Lions came back and tied the game at 12-12 with 10:30 showing when Shanteria Tate scored.
EMCC continued the momentum and went up 23-14 with 3:47 left when Nashedra Barry scored. Raona Stowers made a free throw with 1:07 to play to give the Lady Lions a 29-20 lead.
But Candice Little converted a 3-point play with 58.2 seconds to play and Carey hit two free throws with 15.9 seconds showing to pull JCJC within 29-25 at halftime.
Brigit Taylor converted a 3-point play at the 16:56 mark of the second half to tie the game for the Lady Bobcats at 34-34. But EMCC’s Natalie Tate responded quickly with a 3-pointer with 15:48 to play to give the Lady Lions the lead for good at 37-34. That started a 9-0 run and EMCC went up 43-34 with 13:41 showing when RoTasha Windom hit two free throws.
A Carey basket with 11:23 to play pulled JCJC to within 45-42, but EMCC went on an 11-4 run and went up 56-46 with 7:09 remaining when Eryn Gray made a 3-pointer from the left wing.
JCJC then made its final surge. Erica Moore’s 12-footer with 4:20 to play got the Lady Bobcats within 57-53.
But EMCC, who also eliminated the Lady Bobcats from the regional last year, went on a 9-2 run and stretched the lead to 66-55 with 1:18 left. JCJC’s final points came on a Moore free throw with 1:10 remaining.
Carey led the Lady Bobcats with 19 points and five assists. Ashley Lee had 12 points, while Taylor had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Martika Hull had 15 points and 13 rebounds for EMCC, now 15-12. Gray also had 15 points, while Shelby Crawford added 12 and Tate had 10.
