Special to the Item
The Picayune Item
UTICA —
Pearl River swept rival Hinds in women’s and men’s MACJC South Division basketball action here Thursday with the Lady Wildcats taking a 67-64 victory, while the Wildcats were 80-70 winners.
PRCC’s women improved to 6-9 overall and 3-4 in division play, while its 21st-ranked men are now 15-2 and 6-1. HCC’s women are now 2-16 and 1-6, while its men are 11-7 and 2-5.
In the women’s game, the two teams battled to a 35-35 stalemate at the intermission before The River outscored its hosts 32-29 in the second half to take the three-point victory.
Valescia Dixon of East Marion High paced PRCC with 19 points and 12 rebounds — both game and career highs — while Kalisha Washington out of Murrah High in Jackson scored 18, Daiquari Raine of Poplarville High 13 (seven rebounds), Jeronda Beason of Poplarville High seven.
Sharlandria Winston led Hinds with 18 points, while Rajee McDonald added 13.
In the men’s game, Hinds had a commanding 47-38 advantage at the break, but Pearl River bounced back with a dominating 42-23 effort in the second half to take the 10-point win.
DeAngelo Coleman out fo South Pike High in Magnolia and Xavian Rimmer (seven rebounds), an Alcorn State transfer who prepped at Piney Woods School near Jackson, led the Wildcats with 21 points each; while Kaven Bernard out of Assumption High in Napoleonville, La., scored 11 (seven rebounds); Frank Snow, a San Angelia CC (Tex.) transfer from Wellington, Fla., nine.
Pearl River swept Hinds in previous South Division meetings played Nov. 29 in Poplarville. PRCC’s women were 71-59 winners, while its men won 64-55.
PRCC’s women and men return home to host South Division foe East Central Monday at 5 p.m. (women) and 7 p.m. (men) in Shivers Gym, while arch-rival division rival Mississippi Gulf Coast visits Thursday for two games.
