EMCC Lions stay unbeaten in division play with 69-56 home victory over Coahoma

SCOOBA – EMCC's Lions used a 20-0 second-half run to stay unbeaten in the MACJC's North Division by posting a 69-56 home win over Coahoma during Monday night basketball action played at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum.  The Lady Lions opened the night by claiming their seventh consecutive victory with a 79-48 win over the visiting Lady Tigers in women's action.   

During the men's nightcap, the Coahoma Tigers initially carried the momentum of last Thursday's 69-67 road win over Northwest Mississippi into Monday's contest in Scooba.  Keyed by Cortez McCarty's pair of early 3-pointers and later by back-to-back treys from Kenan Mitchell and Kendall Richardson, the visitors scored eight unanswered points midway through the opening half to take a 29-15 lead with 7:46 remaining. 

The home-standing Lions steadily gained momentum by going on a 17-4 run for the remainder of the half to cut the deficit to a single point (33-32) by halftime.

After EMCC took its first lead (45-44) since early in the game on Danny Washington's driving basket at the 12:54 mark and following a pair of subsequent lead changes, Washington's breakaway bucket on Arecko Gipson Jr.'s outlet pass then ignited a 20-0 run that mounted a 65-46 lead for the Lions with 4:41 left in the contest.  Freshman Jakorie Smith was key for the Lions during the game-changing stretch by personally scoring seven straight points beginning with a lay-in basket following a steal and capped by a slam dunk assisted by Donte Powers.

The Lions maintained their double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game on the way to the 13-point victory for Coach Billy Begley's 10-4 EMCC club (3-0 in MACJC North). 

Likewise in the women's game, the Lions also had four players score in double figures during the nightcap.  Gipson, from Memphis, led the way by registering his first collegiate double-double with 15 points (10-12 FTs) and 12 rebounds.  Smith, out of Raymond High School, scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half, while Washington and Powers contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively, for the winners.

Dropping to 5-7 overall and 1-2 in division play, the Coahoma Tigers were led by McCarty's game-high 20 points.

In women's action, EMCC scored the game's first seven points on the way to taking a 14-7 lead by the end of the opening quarter.  The Lady Lions then blew open the contest by outscoring Coahoma, 22-4, in the second quarter behind Ja'Mia Hollings' 13 points during the 10-minute period.  Hollings, the reigning MACJC Women's Basketball Player of the Week for her double-double performances a week ago against Meridian and Holmes, had 17 points by the break versus Coahoma to give EMCC a comfortable 36-11 halftime cushion.

The margin increased to 30 points (52-22) on a Hollings basket with four minutes left in the third quarter en route to the decisive 31-point victory.  The West Point product finished with a season-high 27 points on red-hot 12-of-14 shooting from the field.  Hollings also collected eight rebounds and four steals in the contest.

Three other Lady Lions scored in double figures, led by sophomore transfer Topazia Hawkins' 14 points.  West Point's Aamiya Rush followed with 11 points and eight rebounds, while reigning all-conference guard Tye Metcalf added 10 points and seven assists for Coach Sharon Thompson's 12-2 EMCC squad (3-0 in MACJC North).

The 6-6 Coahoma Lady Tigers fell to 1-2 in division play and were led by Jada Harris' 11 points.  Jurnee McLaurin added eight points for the visitors.

The East Mississippi basketball teams will venture to Senatobia for a Thursday divisional doubleheader against the Rangers of Northwest Mississippi Community College.  A 5:30 p.m. women's game will be followed by a 7:30 p.m. men's contest at Northwest's Howard Coliseum.