SCOOBA — The East Mississippi basketball teams split with the defending state champions of Jones County in season-opening action Monday evening at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum on the Scooba campus. The EMCC women dropped a 70-65 decision in the first contest, while the Lions claimed a 90-84 victory in the nightcap.
In the opener, the Lady Lions, rated 27th nationally in the preseason NJCAA rankings, were outscored 16-5 over the final 4:34 in falling at home to the Lady Bobcats.
With a dozen Lady Lion players getting into the scoring column, freshman guard Natalie Tate led the way with 12 points and five assists. Shanteria Tate was the only other EMCC player in double digits with 11 points. Reigning MACJC All-North State forward Martika Hull of Meridian’s Southeast Lauderdale was held to just two points on 1-of-5 shooting and committed five turnovers.
In the nightcap, head coach Mark White’s Lions looked to be cruising to victory by extending their 17-point halftime lead (54-37) to 23 points (62-39) four minutes into the second stanza. Jones County steadily cut away at the deficit, eventually trimming the margin to six points (77-71) with 5:30 left.
CoCo Ware tied for game-scoring honors with 19 points to go along with six steals and five rebounds to lead five EMCC players in double figures. Chris Brand followed with 15 points and a team-most eight rebounds, while former Meridian High School product Donovan Walker tallied 14 points and six boards in his collegiate debut.
Sports
East Mississippi splits with Jones County in basketball season openers
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Neel leaving champion War Eagles for Panthers
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Neel then coached the past three years at Wayne County, leading the War Eagles to three straight Class 5A fast-pitch state crowns.
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Pitcher Ginger Lonergan and centerfielder Relanda McFarland were both named to the NJCAA Division II All-American first-team on Thursday. -
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The Southeast Lauderdale sophomore did that and so much more. Irby's single with two outs in the seventh inning broke a tie, lifting the Tigers to a 6-3 MHSAA Class 3A state championship win at Smith-Wills Stadium on Wednesday, and handing Southeast (32-7) its first title since 1966. -
Ramey shines again, hurls Tigers to MHSAA Class 3A crown
The bar was set pretty high.
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Southeast wins MHSAA Class 3A Championsip
Slideshow from the MHSAA Class 3A state championship game between Southeast Lauderdale and Kossuth.
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Briarwood to host Emerald Coast Golf Tour in June
Professional golf is coming to Meridian.
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Neel leaving champion War Eagles for Panthers

