By By Cassie Chance /Special to The Star
Jan. 15, 2002
SCOOBA Clay Armstrong's East Mississippi Lions know how to put on a show. After picking up perhaps their biggest win of the year on Thursday against Meridian, EMCC was looking to make it two in a row against division rival Mississippi Delta.
The win wouldn't come easy for EMCC, as the Lions were forced to take a last second shot to prevent the game from going into overtime. With less than a second left on the clock, Dennis Dupree hit a jumper to give the Lions the 82-80 win.
The game was close from the beginning as both Delta and East Mississippi capitalized on three pointers and jumpers. With 13:06 remaining in the half, the Lions had jumped out to an early 19-10 lead.
However, Delta came back to tie the game with less than eight minutes remaining in the half. With 4:02 remaining Tramechie Evans extended the EMCC lead only to see the Trojans go on a 7-0 run. East Mississippi came back to take a small five point lead into the locker room at the break.
Following halftime, East Mississippi extended their lead by going on an 8-0 run. With 12:28 left on the lock, Delta called a timeout. After the timeout, the Trojans rallied, but we unable to catch up to the growing EMCC lead.
Finally with 4:36 remaining, the Lions found themselves unable to score from the free throw line. Delta took advantage of the situation and with 51 seconds remaining, Laron Bradley tied the game at 80. With one last chance to win the game or force overtime, EMCC took a long in bounds pass and Dupree nailed the jumper for the win.
The Trojans (3-9, 1-1) got 30 points from Bradley and 16 from Lemarus Rimbert.
EMCC (3-8, 1-1-) was led by Dupree's 21 and Rapahel Edwards' 19. Alonza netted 17. The Lions will travel to Itawamba on Thursday.
East Mississippi 63
Mississippi Delta 59
After falling to rival Meridian on Thursday night, Dale Peay's East Mississippi Lady Lions were looking for a win against division for Mississippi Delta on Thursday night in Scooba.
East Mississippi used an 11-7 run in overtime to beat the Lady Trojans 63-59.
Delta began the game with a bang off a three pointer by Chelsery Lee. East Mississippi then broke away with key shots by Candace Spires, Dorecious Powe, and Donna Franklin to jump out to an early one-point lead before Delta took the edge with 14:09 remaining in the half.
The lead swapped hands seven times before the Lady Lions took a commanding 24-16 lead with 5:32 left before the break. In the last five minutes, Delta answered back, and the Lady Lions took a slim 28-25 advantage into the locker room at the intermission.
After the recess, Delta jumped on the boards with shots from Nakeba Gibson and Shirley Gooch. With 13:47 left in the game, Powe hit two free shots from the charity stripe to trim the Delta to one. However, the Lady Trojans answered back and added to the lead.
With 5:34 remaining in the game, Delta called a timeout and extended their lead to 10 before Erica Ray and Katrina Barr both nailed three pointers to trim the Delta lead to just one. With 50 ticks left on the clock, Donna Franklin hit one out of two free throws to fore the game into overtime.
In overtime, East Mississippi came out strong as Michelle Shaffer, Spires, Powe, and Barr all hit shots to give EMCC the win.
The Lady Lions got 20 points from Barr, 18 of those coming off three-pointers. Powe and Shaffer had 10 each.
The Lady Trojans (6-6, 0-2) were led by Saprina Reed's 13 points, while Lee and Gooch had 12 each.
East Mississippi (3-9, 1-1) will travel to Itawamba on Thursday