Little things doom MCC men in loss to Wallace-Selma

Published 11:17 pm Thursday, December 14, 2017

Missed free throws, missed rebounding opportunities and missed defensive assignments inside plagued the Meridian Community College men against Wallace Community College Selma.

In fact, missed opportunities were the theme of the night for the Eagles as they hosted the Patriots in Meridian’s final contest before breaking for the Christmas holiday. 

Wallace Community College-Selma seized on those missed opportunities and defeated Meridian Community College 79-69 Thursday night at Meridian’s Jim Redgate Court. 

“Free throws all game, not rebounding, layups,” Meridian Community College coach James Green said of his team’s missed chances. “If we made half of the layups and half the free throws, it’s a different ball game — and if we rebound. They just came out with a lot more energy than what we came out with. Our guys still have to learn that it’s a 40-minute game, and those first four or five minutes are just as important as those last four of five minutes, and we have to play with that kind of aggression all game long.”

Wallace Community College Selma’s twin brother tandem of Cornellius Gibbs and Cortez Gibbs was indefensible inside early, as the twins, who stand 6-foot-6, had their way inside.

Cornellius Gibbs rattled off 11 points in the first half before prematurely leaving the game with an injury. He later returned. 

Cortez Gibbs filled in admirably in his brother’s absence and established a perimeter inside and dared Meridian Community College’s shooter to penetrate. 

Cornellius Gibbs finished with 11 points, while Cortez Gibbs ended with nine points.

“I wish I had them,” Green said with a laugh. “They’re wide bodies, and they play within themselves. Their team features those guys, and then when you start (on them), they start hopping up and making 3s. So, you play inside-out, and they’re capable of doing it because they have guys that can do it. They did a great job of getting the ball inside. They played a great game on the road.”

Eric Fuller and Kylan Hamilton finished with a team-high 18 points for Meridian, while Alex Perry ended with 12 points and Shane Singarayar tallied 11 points.  

Wallace Community College Selma led 45-30 at halftime, but Meridian Community College scrapped its way back in the second half to trail 61-53 with 9:29 left in the game. Fuller pulled the Eagles within six points of tying the game with a field goal, and Hamilton whittled the Patriots’ lead to 61-57 when he scored a two-point field goal with 7:48 remaining, which prompted Wallace Community College Selma to call a timeout with the hopes of slowing Meridian Community College’s momentum.

The Eagles would then miss their next six free throw attempts, and Patriots’ guard Jallen Kelley strung together a three-basket sequence that saw his team take a 68-57 lead that was insurmountable for Meridian Community College.

“We have to get the ball in the hands of people that can do things where they can do it, and then those guys have to be smart enough to turn down things that they can’t do, and that will make us better offensively. But we have to just be a tougher team mentally.”

Up next: Meridian Community College travels to East Mississippi Community College on Jan. 4

MCC WOMEN 87, WALLACE 51

Rokila Wallace’s game-high 24 points helped lift the Lady Eagles to their eighth win of the season, as they earned an 87-51 victory over the Lady Patriots Thursday night at Meridian Community College’s Jim Redgate Court. 

Meridian’s Shannon Tate poured in 13 points, and Mariah Collins, Qiayon Bailey and Meyoka Jordan added 10 points apiece. 

Thursday’s win was Meridian Community College’s eighth consecutive, as their lone loss of year occurred in the season opener when they fell 71-67 to Southwest Tennessee Community College.

The Lady Eagles led 45-26 at halftime.

West Lauderdale product Mallory Thompson tallied five points, and Clarkdale product LaTonya Adams finished with two points. 

Up next: Meridian Community College travels to East Mississippi Community College on Jan. 4