January 18, 2019

A last-second jumper by Jones College’s Winceton Edwards sent the game to overtime and the Bobcats would eventually pull out a 71-69 win over the East Central Community College Warriors in basketball action Thursday, Jan. 17, in A.B. Howard Gymnasium in Ellisville. The No. 8 ranked Jones Lady Bobcats scored an 84-56 win over the ECCC Lady Warriors in the first game of the evening.

With the loss, the ECCC Warriors fell to 7-6 overall on the season in 0-4 in MACJC South Division play. Jones improved to 7-4 and 3-1.

In the men’s game, East Central lead almost the entire game, including 35-25 at the intermission. The Warriors let a five-point lead, 61-56, slip away with less than three minutes to play, with Jones tying the score on Edwards’ jumper with three seconds to play. Jones won the overtime period 9-7.

East Central was led by freshman forward Marcus Bates (Tuscaloosa, Ala., Paul Bryant) who had a career-high 14 rebounds to go with 11 points. Sophomore guard Roti Ware of Morton also had a big night on the boards as East Central pulled down 13 more rebounds than Jones. Ware had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Also in double figures for East Central were freshman forward JaQuarius Smith of Noxubee County and freshman guard Nick Preyer (Mobile, Ala., Leflore) with 13 each and sophomore guard Josh Green out of Harrison Central with 10.

The Jones Lady Bobcats remained undefeated in the big win over the Lady Warriors, never trailing in the contest. East Central fell to 10-3 overall and 1-3 in South Division play with the loss. Jones improved to 12-1 and 4-0.

The Lady Warriors were led by sophomore guard Breanna Riley of Gulfport with 12 points, the only East Central player in double figures.

East Central will host the teams from Meridian Community College at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 22, in Brackeen-Wood Gym in Decatur before heading to Utica on Thursday, Jan. 24, to face the Hinds women and men.