By By Jeff Byr/staff writer
Feb. 5, 2002
SCOOBA There may not have been many NBA scouts here at Keyes Currie Coliseum on Monday night to see Northeast Mississippi's Qyntel Woods, but the ones who did show saw another impressive performance.
Woods, a 6-foot-9 small forward out of Memphis, lit up the homestanding East Mississippi Community College Lions for a game high 40 points in a 73-66 win.
Northeast improves to 5-3 in the Mississippi Junior College's North Division and evens its overall record at 9-9. East Mississippi, who led for most of the first 28 minutes, fell to 3-13.
Northeast also took the women's game over East 53-45.
Woods had only nine at the half on 2-of-5 shooting in 13 minutes. Three fouls limited his action.
East was able to take advantage by grabbing a 31-22 lead behind a fast-breaking offense. Two such drives by Davarrvius Hairston helped key the spurt.
The Tigers rebounded with a 6-2 run to close out the half to make it 33-28 at the half.
The second half belonged to Woods.
A big dunk, a three-point play and two free throws by Woods finally put Northeast ahead for the first time since breaking out to a 7-0 lead. The lead would switch hands three times before a putback by Taylor Rocker gave the Tigers the lead for good at 45-44 with 9:30 left.
The lead would grow to 11 points to 59-48 before East mounted a late charge to make it interesting. A dunk by Clem Celestine followed by a bucket in the lane by Dennis Dupre cut the spread down to five at 67-62 with 1:02 left.
The Lions, though, could not keep the ball out of Woods' hands. He got fouled and then made the free throws hitting five-of-seven to close out the game.
He finished with 31 points in the second half. For the game, he was 11-of-18 from the field and 15-of-21 from the line. He also had 12 rebounds.
EMCC got a double-double from ReShard Alonza with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Dupre added 14 points and Hairston chipped in 10.
Northeast women 53
East Mississippi 45
The East Mississippi Lady Lions battled the visitors tough, but Northeast escaped with a 53-45 win.
The Lady Lions forced 27 turnovers and held Northeast to just 21 percent shooting in the second half. But the Lady Tigers countered by making all eight of their free throw attempts in the game's final minute.
The win keeps Northeast unbeaten in North Division play at 8-0. They are now 9-6 overall. East slips to 2-5 in the division and is now 4-13 on the year.
East did make nine-of-17 shots from the field in the second half and that helped trim an 11-point, 32-21 halftime deficit, down to two at 43-41 with 3:20 left in the game.
The Lady Lions would have two chances to go in front or tie but the shots missed the mark. A lane violation took away a three-point play by Michelle Shaffer with 1:08 to play.
That left the deficit at two at 45-43. Northeast then started its free throw parade making eight straight to salt it away.
Katie Walker led Northeast with 17 points. Lisa Moore had 10.
East was paced by Donna Franklin with 13 points and Katrina Barr had nine.
EMCC visits Mississippi Delta Community College on Thursday.