Behind the 17 points of sophomore guard Jariyah Covington, the East Central Community College Lady Warriors defeated the Holmes Lady Bulldogs 71-53 in non-division basketball action Monday, Dec. 2, in Brackeen-Wood Gym on the campus in Decatur. Despite a combined 43 points from JaQuarius Smith and JaMichael Wilson, the Warriors fell to the Holmes Bulldogs 85-81 in the nightcap.
It was the second time the teams had met this season. The Lady Warriors defeated the Lady Bulldogs 83-59 last month in Goodman. The Warriors beat Holmes 87-75 in the game on Nov. 18.
East Central led wire-to-wire in the women's contest, using a big fourth quarter to put away the Lady Bulldogs. East Central won the final period 25-12 to blow open a five-point game. The Lady Bulldogs went to the free throw line 31 times in the game, compared to just 15 for the Lady Warriors.
It was the third straight game that Covington (Starkville) has led the Lady Warriors in scoring. Sophomore guard/forward KeiMoya Walker (Jackson, Murrah) scored 15 points, while sophomore guard Mylisha Hammond (McComb) had 12 and freshman forward Asia Madison (Hazlehurst) added 10. Sophomore forward Jamaica Almons (Jackson, Murrah) led East Central with 10 rebounds.
The men's contest saw 14 lead changes and eight ties. The Warriors led by as many as nine, 33-24, in the first half before Holmes went on a 10-0 run to take a 36-35 lead at intermission.
Smith, a sophomore forward out of Noxubee County, scored 22 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the Warriors. Wilson, a freshman guard from Rayville, La., added 21. Also in double figures were freshman guards Kareem Thompson (Florence, Ala.) with 14 and Tate Ryder (Hattiesburg, Oak Grove) with 11. Thompson had a team-high five assists.
The Warriors hit just 6 of 29 three point attempts in the game and surrendered 23 points to the Bulldogs off turnovers.
The East Central teams play their final non-division games against MACJC opponents Thursday, Dec. 5, when East Mississippi visits Brackeen-Wood Gym. The women will play at 5:30 p.m. and the men tipoff at 7:30 p.m.
MACJC South Division play begins Monday, Dec. 9, when ECCC travels to Perkinston to face Gulf Coast at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Freshman guard JaMichael Wilson lays in a basket in East Central's loss to Holmes. Wilson had 21 points in the game. (EC Photo)