Lady Warriors Win 4th Straight 76-72 Over Gulf Coast

Lady Warriors Win 4th Straight 76-72 Over Gulf Coast

The East Central Community College Lady Warriors avenged one of their three losses this season with a hard-fought 76-72 win over the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Lady Bulldogs in basketball action Thursday, Jan. 31, at Brackeen-Wood Gym on the ECCC campus in Decatur. In the men's action, the Gulf Coast Bulldogs pulled out a 72-65 win over the Warriors.

The women's game was close throughout as the Lady Warriors looked to avenge a 78-69 road loss to Gulf Coast back on Dec. 3. The two teams scored the same number of points in three of the four periods played, with East Central winning the second period 19-15 for the difference in the game.

Sophomore forward Whitney Waters of Heidelberg came up with two big three-pointers late in the fourth period to help the Lady Warriors hold off the Lady Bulldogs. ECCC forced 24 Gulf Coast turnovers in the contest.

East Central got balanced scoring, with four players in double figures led by 19 points from freshman guard Jariyah Covington of Starkville. Waters added 12 points, while sophomore forwards Diamond Wraggs of Louisville and Sharan Turner (Gonzales, La., East Ascension) had 10 each. Turner also had six rebounds to lead the team.

It was the fourth straight win for the ECCC Lady Warriors to improve to 14-3 overall and 5-3 in MACJC South Division play and move into a tie for second place in the standings. The Gulf Coast Lady Bulldogs fell to 8-7 and 4-4.

The ECCC Warriors dropped their second game of the season to Gulf Coast after falling 78-69 in Perkinston back in December.

The Bulldogs led most of the game before East Central took a 38-37 lead seven minutes into the second half. However, an 11-4 run by Gulf Coast put the Bulldogs back on top to stay.

Sophomore guard Roti Ware of Morton had another big night for East Central pouring in 27 points and pulling down 12 rebounds after his 31-point, 10-rebound effort Jan. 28 in a win over Southwest. Ware also had three assists and a pair of steals. Freshman guard Devin Carter out of Pearl was the only other Warrior in double figures with 11 points.

The loss dropped East Central to 8-9 overall and 1-7 in division play. Gulf Coast improved to 14-3and 6-2.

Next week, East Central will travel to Poplarville to face Pearl River on Monday, Feb. 4, and then to Wesson to face Copiah-Lincoln on Thursday, Feb. 7. Game times are 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. both nights.