EMCC basketball teams resume division play with come-from-behind home sweep over Mississippi Delta

SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College basketball teams resumed MACJC North Division play in thrilling fashion by posting a pair of come-from-behind home wins over Mississippi Delta Community College Monday night at EMCC's Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.  Following the Lady Lions' 46-37 victory over the Delta women, the Lions capped the sweep with a 95-88 overtime triumph over the visiting Trojans.

In the exciting nightcap, the EMCC men overcame a 46-38 halftime deficit by going on a 9-2 run following the intermission.  With six lead changes and three ties during the second half, the visitors seemed to be in control heading down the stretch.  Leading 77-71 with 3:31 remaining in regulation, the Trojans turned the ball over on three straight offensive possessions as EMCC converted four consecutive free throws to cut the deficit to two points.

Even so, Delta managed to move ahead by five points (80-75) with a chance to pad the lead even more by stepping to the charity stripe with just 47.2 seconds remaining in regulation.  After DeCarlos Holmes failed to hit the front end of a 1-and-1 free throw opportunity, EMCC freshman Daniel Simmons pulled up for a quick 3-pointer to cut it to 80-78 with 41.4 seconds left.  Following an EMCC timeout, the Lions' tenacious defensive pressure produced another Delta turnover which resulted in Antonio Finley making 1-of-2 free throws.  Finley struck again by bombing in a contested 3-pointer with 17.1 seconds on the game clock to answer Zamarlus Griffin's pair of free throws and knot the score at 82-all.  Both teams traded turnovers over the final 10 seconds of regulation to send the contest into overtime.

Aided by another Finley trey early in overtime, the Lions pretty much controlled the extra session by outscoring the Trojans, 13-6, over the game's final five minutes en route to the seven-point victory.

Finley, a former Meridian High School standout, paced five double-figure EMCC scorers with 21 points, including four 3-pointers.  Providing an inside presence for head coach Mark White's Lions (9-3, 2-0), freshman forward Jahyde Gardiner registered his fifth double-double of the season with 19 points (14 after halftime) and a game-high 13 rebounds, including eight offensive boards.

Falling to 5-7 overall and 1-1 in division play, the Trojans were led by Darius Dukes and Travon Harper with 23 and 21 points, respectively.

The EMCC women certainly set the stage for Monday's comeback night on the Scooba campus.  With the exception of a 6-6 tie, the Lady Lions trailed for the first 30 minutes of the contest before outscoring Delta, 15-5, over the final 9:17 to secure the nine-point victory.

Trailing by four points (21-17) at the intermission following a low-scoring first half of play, the Lady Lions took their first lead of the closely contested affair on Ki-Ki Patterson's basket in the lane at the 9:17 mark.  Delta's Niya Head responded with a three-point play to temporarily put the visitors back on top, 35-33, with 8:25 remaining.  However, the Lady Trojans would not score again for the next eight minutes, as EMCC ran off 13 unanswered points to pull away with the come-from-behind win.

Evening their record to 6-6 overall and improving to 2-0 within the division, head coach Sharon Thompson's reigning MACJC North Division champions were led by freshman Camry Jones, who scored 12 of her team-high 14 points after halftime.  Patterson, a former Columbus High School All-American, followed with 11 points, including 4-of-6 shooting in the second stanza.

The Delta women, now 3-9 overall and 0-2 in division play, were led by Head's game-high 15 points.        

The East Mississippi basketball teams next hit the road for a Thursday division doubleheader against Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale.  Both games are slated to be video-streamed live on www.EMCCAthletics.com/live.