EMCC Lions close out pre-Christmas hoops slate with 77-66 home triumph over William Carey JV squad

SCOOBA – With their fourth straight win, the Lions of East Mississippi Community College closed out their pre-Christmas basketball slate with a 77-66 home victory over William Carey University's junior varsity team Wednesday night at EMCC's Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.

It was the visiting Crusaders who seemed to have the most energy to begin the night by scoring the game's first seven points.  As the Lions experimented to put the right combination on the floor early in the contest, William Carey was able to extend its lead to eight points on two occasions. 

EMCC's lone bright spot offensively during the opening 20 minutes of play was freshman guard Daniel Simmons, who scored 18 of the team's 31 first-half points.  His 5-of-7 shooting, including 3-of-4 accuracy from beyond the three-point arc, helped trim the home team's deficit to four points (35-31) by the intermission.

With renewed vigor and increased defensive intensity following the break, the Lions immediately established control of the contest in the second half with early inside baskets from freshman forward Jahyde Gardiner and a pair of 3-pointers by sophomore sharp-shooter Antonio Finley.  Finley's second trey ignited a 12-0 EMCC run that pushed the margin to double figures six minutes into the period.

The Lions' lead grew to 16 points midway through the half before consecutive 3-pointers by Nick Pernell and Cordaryl Weathersby capped a spurt that pulled William Carey to within six points (67-61) with 2:43 remaining in the contest.  As EMCC slowed the pace to take time off the clock, the Crusaders had to resort to fouling down the stretch.  The Lions' final eight points came from the charity stripe to seal the 11-point triumph.

Simmons, from Biggersville, paced EMCC with a season-high 21 points despite only scoring three points after halftime.  Gardner, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., recorded his fourth double-double in seven games on the year with 16 points, including 14 in the second half, and 11 rebounds.  Finley also scored in double digits for the winners with 12 of his 14 points coming in the second stanza.

Weathersby paced William Carey's JV squad with 19 points, followed by Trevon Cole and Pernell with 18 and 16 points, respectively.

Coach Mark White's 6-1 EMCC Lions will have nearly three weeks off from competition before closing out the calendar year, Dec. 30-31, at the Tallahassee Democrat Holiday Classic, hosted by Tallahassee Community College.  East Mississippi will take on Hillsborough Community College on the opening afternoon of the two-day tournament and then meet Garrett College on New Year's Eve day.