EMCC's basketball season comes to an end with 67-62 setback to top-seeded Pearl River in regional semifinals

CLINTON – East Mississippi Community College's basketball season drew to a close Friday afternoon, as the MACJC State Champion Wildcats of Pearl River Community College claimed a 67-62 semifinal-round victory over the Lions in the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament being held at A.E. Wood Coliseum on the Mississippi College campus.

Fourth-seeded EMCC, 78-60 quarterfinal-round winners over No. 5 seed Southern-Shreveport on Wednesday, held the early advantage over Pearl River during Friday's semis.  After leading most of the opening half and on top by seven points (25-18), the Lions were out-scored, 12-3, over the final three minutes of the half.  With a minute left, PRCC's William Brown hit a pair of free throws and Malik Clements converted a three-point play to give the Wildcats a 30-28 halftime advantage.

Despite playing without starter Darrlyn Willis, the team's second-leading scorer and top rebounder on the year, after being ejected late in the opening half for leaving the Pearl River bench on a flagrant foul call, the Wildcats maintained their lead throughout the second stanza with the exception of one tie.  Down by eight points (57-49) with five minutes left in the contest, the Lions scored eight unanswered points to even the score at 57-all with 2:15 remaining.  Freshman forward Jahyde Gardiner stepped up big during EMCC's comeback bid with two of his five blocked shots and back-to-back inside buckets coming within that stretch.

Pearl River, having squeaked by No. 8 seed Baton Rouge Community College by a single point during Wednesday's quarterfinals, answered with five straight points to move back ahead.  EMCC's Antonio Finley then matched Jeffery Spence's corner 3-pointer with a trey of his own to make it a two-point game (62-60) heading into the final minute of regulation.  After both teams traded turnovers, Lion freshman Daniel Simmons countered Cortez Mitchell's two made free throws with a put-back basket to keep it a two-point contest.

Following a timeout, the Wildcats beat East Mississippi's press and proceeded to up the margin to a two-possession game (66-62) with two more clutch charity tosses from Mitchell.    On the ensuing inbounds, EMCC's Chris Rhoney traveled in the backcourt after being pressured on the catch.  With the Lions then forced to foul, Brown sank one of two free throws with 15.1 seconds left to account for the game's final score.

Concluding the season with an 18-8 overall record as MACJC North Division runners-up, head coach Mark White's EMCC Lions were led in their season finale by Rhoney and Gardiner with 13 and 10 points, respectively.  As a team, the Lions were limited to 34-percent shooting (22-65 FGs) by Pearl River, including just 5-of-30 (17%) from beyond the three-point arc.  

Advancing to face the MACJC North Division Champion Holmes Bulldogs in Saturday's regional championship men's contest and a rematch of last week's state title game, the 25-3 Pearl River Wildcats received a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds from Mitchell.  Brown and Willis followed with 12 and 11 points, respectively, for the winners.