EMCC Lions finish first portion of division hoops slate with 77-70 home win over Northwest; Lady Lions fall 69-60

SCOOBA – East Mississippi Community College closed out the first half of the MACJC North Division regular-season basketball slate by splitting with visiting Northwest Mississippi Community College Monday evening at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.  The EMCC Lions claimed a 77-70 nightcap victory over the Northwest men, while the Lady Rangers posted a 69-60 victory over the home-standing Lady Lions. 

In the nightcap, EMCC's Lions used a 9-2 run during the final four minutes of the opening half to build a 40-31 halftime advantage over the visiting Rangers.  Aided by 3-pointers from freshman Daniel Simmons and sophomore backcourt mate Antonio Finley early in the second stanza, the home team increased the margin to 15 points (52-37) five minutes into the half. 

The Northwest men did manage to cut the deficit to five points twice over the game's final eight minutes, but a pull-up jumper by Shelvick Henry Jr. and a pair of free throws from Jahyde Gardiner put the Lions back on top, 63-54, with 5:48 remaining.  The Rangers made another comeback attempt a few minutes later, but Chris Rhoney's 3-pointer made it 66-58 with just under four minutes left.  EMCC then used Finley's fourth 3-pointer of the contest and seven made free throws over the final two minutes to lock down the seven-point triumph. 

Improving his career record against Northwest to 14-2 overall and 8-0 in Scooba meetings, head coach Mark White's EMCC Lions enter the second portion of their regular-season division slate with a 12-4 overall record and 5-1 division mark.  Against Northwest, Gardiner notched his seventh double-double of the season with 19 points, including 13-of-18 free throws, and 14 rebounds.  With four Lion players in double figures, Rhoney, Finley and Simmons followed with 13, 12 and 10 points, respectively, for the winners. 

Falling to 8-7 overall and 2-4 within the division, the Northwest Rangers were led by Kieth Broome Jr. and De'Sean Dockery with 21 and 12 points, respectively.    

In the women's game, the visiting Lady Rangers initially took command of the contest with a 10-0 spurt late in the opening half.  Those 10 unanswered points held up for a 41-31 halftime advantage in favor of the visitors. 

Northwest maintained control of the game throughout the second stanza and built the advantage to as many as 18 points (59-41) with 7:14 remaining.  Head coach Sharon Thompson's reigning MACJC North Division champions battled back to cut the deficit to seven points (61-54) on a 3-pointer by Alecha Gibbs with three minutes left, but Aspriona Gilbert's three-point play and Sara Lytle's subsequent 3-pointer bumped the margin back up to double digits en route to the nine-point outcome. 

Dropping to 7-9 overall and 3-3 in the division, EMCC's Lady Lions were led by former Columbus High School All-American Ki-Ki Patterson with 21 points for her fifth 20-point outing of the season.  Camry Jones followed with 13 points.        

The East Mississippi basketball teams are set to conclude their week-long home stand by playing host to the Tigers of Northeast Mississippi Community College Thursday evening on the Scooba campus.  A 5:30 p.m. women's game will be followed by a 7:30 p.m. men's contest at EMCC's Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.  Thursday's home hoops doubleheader is slated to be video-streamed live on www.EMCCAthletics.com/live.