Strongly avenging an early-season loss in Ellisville, the Southwest Bears shocked the No. 11 Jones County Bobcats 92-83 Saturday in Summit.
The win moved the Bears to 10-7 overall on the year and, at 4-4, into a three-way tie for third in the MACJC South division with Pearl River and Co-Lin.
The Bobcats dropped to 15-2 overall and into a tie with Mississippi Gulf Coast for first place with a 7-1 South record.
“Anytime you have the chance to redeem a loss that you suffered earlier and you’re at your home place, you’re obviously motivated to do it,” said Southwest head coach Casey Carter.
The Bears fell behind early, but rebounded quickly with a 17-10 run, culminating with Xavion Dillon’s 3-pointer with 13:27 to play in the first half. Dillon’s shot put Southwest ahead 17-15, and shortly thereafter the Bears then went on another 15-2 run, capped by a Chris Jones jumper with 6:10 to go in the half. Southwest had built a double-digit lead at 32-20, but the Bobcats showed why they were ranked among the NJCAA’s top teams.
Ending with a Thaddeus Hall jumper with 29 seconds on the clock, the visitors ended the half on a 16-6 tear to drop the Bears’ lead to 38-36 at the intermission.
Starting with a Deione Weeks 3-pointer and capped by a Twymond Howard bucket, the Bears opened the second half on an 11-4 run to build a 49-40 lead with 16:31 left to play.
Jones County would not quit, however, as it closed the gap to within five points, 57-52, on a Johnny Zuppardo basket with 12:05 to go. It then outscored its hosts 13-6 to pull to within one point, 66-65, with 8:30 left in the game.
Showing they were not rattled, the Bears went on a 13-3 scoring streak of their own to extend their lead to 11 points, 79-68, with 3:45 left. The Bobcats could come no closer than seven points the rest of the way, and the Bears went on to earn the nine-point upset win.
“It wasn’t necessarily about the opponent in the situation we’re in, tied for third (in the South). If we lose this game, we slip way back there in the rankings,” Carter said.
Among the teams tied with Southwest in the division, only two will be able to qualify for a spot in the state playoffs later this month.
“This game had to be more important to us possession by possession,” Carter said, “and tonight it was, and that’s why we were able to win.”
Weeks topped six Bears in double figures with 18 points in the game. Jones added 17 points and five assists while Howard scored 15 points of his own. Jaylen Moore had 13 points, Corey Williams added 11 and Dillon registered 10.
Jamal Hester also got on the board with eight points. The Bears hit 18 of 23 free throws for the game and shot 52 percent (33 of 64) from the field.
Jones County’s Leroy Fludd led all scorers with 23 points.
The Bears will travel to Perkinston Monday night for their next contest as they visit Mississippi Gulf Coast. Game time is set for 8 p.m.
