EMCC Lions claim 89-83 win over Gulf Coast to advance to NJCAA Region 23 semis

CLINTON -- The East Mississippi Community College Lions advanced to Friday's NJCAA Region 23 basketball semifinals with an 89-83 win over Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College on the Mississippi College campus.

Seventh-seeded EMCC, now 19-7, will meet Southern-Shreveport (19-8) Friday at 8 p.m. at MC's A.E. Wood Coliseum for the right to advance to Saturday night's regional championship game.  The SUSLA Jaguars knocked off Pearl River Community College, 68-66, during Thursday night's late game.  Friday's other men's semifinal-round contest will pair MACJC North Division foes Northwest Mississippi and Northeast Mississippi at 6 p.m.

In Thursday's quarterfinals, head coach Billy Begley's EMCC Lions erased a 66-62 Gulf Coast lead with 7:15 remaining by scoring 15 unanswered points to take the lead for good. The game-changing stretch was highlighted by a fast-break dunk and three-point basket from West Point's Juan Davis Jr. Quitman's Anterio McKines capped the run with a 3-pointer that beat the shot clock to put the Lions on top 77-66.

Daniel Simmons, of Biggersville, led four Lion scorers in double figures with 26 points, including 16 in the first half that sparked EMCC to a 45-36 halftime advantage. Davis registered a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Jahyde Gardiner also had 15 points, while Nat Dixon added 11 points for the winners.

Ending their season at 19-7, the second-seeded Bulldogs of Mississippi Gulf Coast were led by Anfernee Hampton with 23 points.  Deshawn Jones and Davion Cole-Johnson added 17 and 13 points, respectively.

Now 16-3 in regional tournament play dating back to the 2008-09 season, East Mississippi has now advanced to at least the regional semifinals eight consecutive years, including four straight region championships from 2010-2013 under the guidance of former head coach Mark White, now at Tallahassee Community College.