By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Nov. 8, 2002
DECATUR After a couple of close road losses, the East Central Community College Lady Warriors found the win column for the first time this season with an 82-80 overtime win over Shelton State of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Thursday night at the Brackeen-Wood Physical Education Building.
In beating the defending Region 22 Division II champions, the Lady Warriors had to battle back from a six-point deficit in overtime.
ECCC led 35-31 at halftime and held a 69-62 advantage with 3:42 remaining after a pair of free throws by Britney Burks.
Shelton scored the final seven points of regulation to pull even at 69-69, then opened overtime with a 6-0 run.
The Lady Warriors got three free throws from Kimyatta Viverette and a basket by Lenore Gray to pull to within 75-74 with 2:26 showing. Tamekia Foley gave the Lady Warriors the lead for good with a pair of free shots with 57.9 seconds to go.
A layup by Rita Birden off her own steal with 48.5 seconds left extended the ECCC lead to 78-75. Birden hit a pullup jumper off a fast break 18 seconds later and Burks made two free throws with 7.8 seconds remaining to seal the win as ECCC improved to 1-2.
Gray led ECCC with 18 points. Viverette and Ebonee' Leverette both had 15 points, while Birden scored 13, Burks nine, and Foley eight.
Shelton men 89
ECCC men 84
In what is becoming a bad habit, the Warriors fell behind by 15 points in the first half and trailed by 21 (62-41) with 16:20 remaining.
ECCC battled back to within five on a 3-pointer by Demario Qualls at 79-74 with 5:13 to go and was still within five at 87-82 when the Buckaneers turned the ball over on a shot-clock violation with 1:04 left.
Two turnovers by the Warriors prevented any further comeback and a pair of free throws by Joseph Martin with nine seconds remaining gave SSCC 89-82 advantage.
Corey Hornsby, a sophomore from Baton Rouge, La., led the Warriors, 1-2, with 38 points. Hornsby, who hit six shots from 3-point range, is averaging 32.7 points through three games. ECCC also got 18 points from Qualls, 10 from Jamaal Martin, seven from Desmond Jones, six from Donzel Crenshaw, and five from Brandon Mason.
Tim Lewis led Shelton, 1-0, with 24 points. Ronald Jenkins scored 12 and Marcus Cooks had 11.