By By Marty Stamper/Special to The Star
Jan. 17, 2001
DECATUR When the East Central Community College Lady Warriors get their running game untracked, they can be a pretty tough opponent.
The Lady Warriors racked up 55 points in the second half to defeat the Jones Junior College Lady Bobcats 83-68 Tuesday night. Jones entered the game ranked No. 15 in the latest NJCAA poll.
The Jones men claimed a 91-86 victory in the nightcap.
ECCC women 83, Jones 68: The Lady Warriors scored five of the last seven points of the first half to take a 28-24 lead into halftime.
A 13-6 spurt to open the second half put ECCC up 41-30 as Margo Porter converted a three-point play with 16:06 remaining.
Porter racked up 20 of her 29 points in the second half.
The Lady Warriors took a 48-33 lead with 14:56 left on a putback basket by Nikki Lacour who finished the night with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Jones used a 10-0 run to close to within 52-47 with 10:18 remaining.
The Lady Bobcats narrowed the gap to 56-52 on a pair of Tammika Sims free throws with 8:08 to play. But that was as close as they would get.
Nicole Cox, who scored all 19 of her points in the second half, buried a 3-pointer to put the Lady Warriors up 59-52 with 7:52 left.
Cox then scored eight points over the next 4:30 to give ECCC a 72-55 advantage.
Sandra Sumrall's Lady Bobcat squad was without four starters for various reasons.
ECCC improved to 3-1 in the South Division and 12-3 overall. The Lady Warriors also got eight points, five blocks, and five rebounds from Anna Udicova. Porter had six rebounds.
Jones (4-1, 15-2) was led by the 31 points Sims, a sophomore from Quitman, tossed in. September Harrison scored nine, while Jeannelle McMillian and Demesha Chambers both had eight.
Jones men 91, ECCC 86: Jones took a three-point lead into halftime, increased its advantage to 10 points in the first five minutes of the second half, then held off a late charge by the Warriors to improve to 12-4 overall and 3-2 in the South Division.
Jones led 47-44 at halftime and went up 60-50 with 15:06 remaining.
The Warriors closed the gap to 64-60 on a pair of free throws from Eric Scott with 11:45 left.
The Bobcats built their lead back to 10 when Omar Barlett made two free shots with 5:04 to play.
The Warriors used a 2-of-8 showing at the free-throw line by Jones in the final minute and a 3-pointer from Chris Webb with 6.6 seconds left to rally to within five points.
The Warriors dropped to 9-7 overall and 1-3 in the division.
ECCC got 18 points from Matthew Roebuck, 13 from Webb, 12 from Scott, 11 from Markeith Brown, 10 from Brett Augusta, nine from Joe Copeland, and eight from James Denson.
Jones got 22 points from Nick Paige, 18 from Derrick White, 16 from Barlett, 14 from LaCederick Pettway, and nine each from Scottie Faulkner and Chris Keys.
EC returns to action Thursday at Pearl River. Jones hosts Copiah-Lincoln in Thursday's league play.