By Curtis Rockwell, Sports Editor
The Picayune Item
ELLISVILLE —
A battle for the top spot in the South Division is set for tonight between the men's teams from Pearl River CC and Jones County JC.
J.J. Bolton led five Jones County Junior College players in double figures with 22 points, as the Bobcats whipped the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community Bulldogs 82-70 in league play on the road Tuesday night at the Weathers-Wentzell Center. Bolton had a solid, all-around effort for Jones. The Richton sophomore was 12-of-13 from the free throw line, to go with a 5-of-16 showing from the floor. He added nine rebounds and four assists.
The Bulldogs, 11-5 overall and 2-3 in the league, saw their losing streak go to four games. JaMicheal Hawkins had 19 points for MGCCC,
The victory improves JCJC to 12-2 overall and 4-0 in the MACJC South Division.
That win set up a showdown with fellow division unbeaten PRCC at A.B. Howard Gymnasium. The Wildcats are 12-1 overall, 4-0 in league play as well. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.
The Wildcats are coming off an 80-41 thumping of the Spring Hill College (Ala.) junior varsity Saturday in Shivers Gymnasium.
The Wildcats defeated the Badger JV 76-48 in a previous meeting played Jan. 8 in Mobile.
It was all Pearl River from the outset, as the Wildcats led by 28 — 37-9 — at the 6:49 mark of the first half before the Badgers cut the lead to 45-19 at the intermission.
In the second half, The River held a 35-22 advantage. A trey by Daniel Grieves, a U.S. Air Force Academy who prepped at St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis, and two-pointer by Jimmy Henderson, a Northwest Mississippi transfer who prepped at Houston (Miss.) High, ended the scoring to give PRCC its largest lead of the game at 39 points.
Josh Jones paced Spring Hill with a game-high 20 points.
Jeremy Hollimon of Gulfport High led the Wildcats with 15 points (three treys), while Rakeem Esco of Canton High (three treys, three assists), Grieves (two treys), and Henderson (six blocks) added nine a piece. Derionne Stewart of Picayune High scored eight.
Preceeding tonight's big men's game, the women from PRCC and JCJC will face off as well at 6 p.m.
After that both PRCC teams return home to host division foe Copiah-Lincoln Monday, Jan. 28, with games at 5 p.m. (women) and 7 p.m. (men).
In the women’s game Tuesday night, MGCCC outscored the Lady Bobcats 21-12 over the game’s final 10:20 and posted a 62-53 decision. The loss drops JCJC to 7-5 overall, 2-2 in division play.
Both Miss. Gulf Coast teams travels to Hinds Community College on Monday. The Lady Bulldogs are 12-3 overall and a league-leading 4-1 in the division, with their only loss coming last week to PRCC.
The Lady Wildcats are 7-7 overall and 2-2 in league play as well.
