The East Central Community College basketball teams suffered a couple of double-digit losses to Southwest on Monday, Jan. 27, in MACJC South Division basketball action in Summit.
The East Central Warriors trailed from start to finish in dropping an 84-68 decision to the Bears, while the Southwest Lady Bears picked up a 61-51 win over the Lady Warriors.
Southwest used a 22-4 run in the first half to build a 22-point advantage and took a 51-32 lead into the locker room at the half in the men's game. The Bears pushed that lead to as many as 29 points in the second half. The Warriors would battle back and get as close as 13 with just under three minutes to play.
Only two East Central players scored in double digits. Freshman forward Kareem Thompson (Florence, Ala.) had 14 points and freshman guard Darien Newchurch (Terry) added 12.
East Central falls to 6-10 overall and 1-6 in the South Division. With the win, Southwest improves to 10-6 overall and 4-3 in the division.
East Central took an early 5-0 lead in the women's game, before Southwest responded with a 15-4 run. The Lady Warriors would tie the game in the second quarter before the Lady Bears took a 33-26 lead at the half.
Southwest built that lead to nine points after three periods and led by as many as 12 in the final 10 minutes.
Freshman guard/forward Ja'Lancia Kohlheim (Tupelo) led East Central with 15 points. Sophomore center Kimberly Green (Greenwood, Amanda Elzy) came off the bench to grab 12 rebounds.
The Lady Warriors fall to 7-9 overall and 2-5 in the South Division. The Southwest Lady Bears are now 12-4 overall and 5-2 in the division.
The Lady Warriors and Warriors return home to Brackeen-Wood Gym in Decatur on Thursday, Jan. 30, when Gulf Coast visits for games at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Both contests can be heard on WKOZ Cruisin 98.3 or watched via live stream video at www.eccc.edu/eccc-media.
On Monday, Feb. 3, the East Central men will face undefeated and No. 3 ranked Pearl River at 7:30 p.m., also in Brackeen-Wood Gym. The Lady Warriors and Lady Wildcats will tipoff at 5:30 p.m.