Friday, January 6, 2006
River opens new year with Miss. Delta split
Lady Wildcats lose 65-52, Wildcats romp 73-52

     POPLARVILLE — Pearl River split with Mississippi Delta in men’s and women’s MACJC non-division basketball action here Thursday with the Wildcats winning 73-52 and the Lady Wildcats falling 65-52.
     PRCC’s men improved to 6-5 overall, while its women fell to 1-10. The Trojans dropped to 4-8, while the Lady Trojans are now 8-4. Pearl River opened its season Nov. 3 at MDCC in Moorhead with the Wildcats taking a lopsided 88-68 victory and the Lady ’Cats falling 82-46.
     In the men’s game, PRCC led 36-21 at the intermission, then outscored the visitors 37-32 in the second half to ice the victory. The Wildcats built their lead to as many as 24 points late in the second half.
     Eugene Jackson paced Delta with 19 points, whiel Deszni Harris added 11, Patrick Woodard 10, Marquis Gladness five, Dominique Bowman four, and Roderick Loper and Aajalon Smith, one each.
     Colorado State signee Alton Robinson of Hattiesburg High led the Wildcats with 24 points and hauled in six boards, while Jamar Flowers of White Castle, La., added 14 and grabbed seven rebounds. Wesley Jones of Beatrice, Ala., also poured in 14 and snatched a game-high eight rebounds and blocked two shots; while Marquez Singleton of Bay High added 10 and dished off a team-high five assists. Darius Acker of St. Stanislaus scored six (two treys), Chasen Uptain of Poplarville three, and James Williams of Hattiesburg two.
     From the foul line, PRCC was 18 for 32 (56.3 percent) to MDCC’s 13 of 21 (61.9 percent) effort, while the Wildcats hit 47.3 percent (26 of 55) from to field to the Trojans’ dismal 35.1 percent (20 of 57).
Pearl River sank three of its eight (37.5 percent) three-point attempts, while Delta was zero of eight.
     In the women’s game, the Lady Wildcats led for the first seven minutes of the game; but Tawana Johnson’s three pointer of the night to put the Lady Trojans up 9-8 at the 12:45 mark. PRCC briefly regained the lead when Dee Robertson of North Forrest answered with a bucket, then Lady Wildcat Calla Daggins of Mereaux, La., tied it up at 14 four minutes later before Anglea Allen’s pair of free throws gave Delta the lead for good.
     From that point, the Lady Trojans closed out the half with an 11-7 run to lead 28-21 at the intermission.
     Delta builts its lead to as many as 23 points in the second half.
     LaShundrya Townsend paced the Lady Trojans with a game-high 20 points, including a four-of-six effort from three-point range; while Carnisha Bolden added 12 point off her four-of-five effort beyond the arc. Jessica Boyd added 10 (two treys), Shaquana Taylor, Anatasia James, Kendra Dancy, and Jameica Gross, four a piece; Angela Allen and Tawana Johnson (one trey), three each; and Michelle Penson one.
Daggins led PRCC with 11 (five rebounds), while LaTerrica Booth of Bassfield scored 10 (six rebounds), Robertson nine (game-high 10 rebounds), Tanesha Stokes of East Marion seven, Shannon Primos of Forrest County AHS and Ashley Jones of Florence, six each; and Brittany Blackston of Hattiesburg High three.
From the foul line, Pearl River was 13 of 27 (48.1 percent), while Delta was 16 of 24 (66.7 percent).
     The Lady Trojans shot a horrible 22.2 percent (six of 27) from the field in the first half, but bounced back with a 54.2 percent (13 of 24) effort in the second half to finish the game at 37.3 percent, while Pearl River hit 34.5 percent (19 of 55) on the night.
From three-point range, the Lady Trojans sank an amazing 11 of 26 (42.3 percent), while the Lady Wildcats were one of six (16.7 percent).
     PRCC opens its MACJC South Division schedule Monday when it travels to Jones in Ellisville for 6 p.m. (women) and 8 p.m. (men) games, then returns to the Poplarville High gymnasium Thursday, Jan. 12, to host division rival Meridian at the same game times.
 

Mississippi Delta at Pearl River
MACJC women’s and men’s non-division basketball games
played Jan. 5, 2006 @ Poplarville High School gymnasium
 

WOMEN
Mississippi Delta 65, Pearl River 52
Halftime: 28-21(MDCC)
 

Scorers
MISSISSIPPI DELTA (8-4): LaShundrya Townsend 20 (4 treys), Carnisha Bolden 12 (4 treys), Jessica Boyd 10 (2 treys), Shaquana Taylor 4, Anatasia James 4, Kendra Dancy 4, Jameica Gross 4, Angela Allen 3, Tawana Johnson 3 (1 trey), Michelle Penson 1.
 

PEARL RIVER (1-10): Calla Daggins 11, LaTerrica Booth 10, Dee Robertson 9 (10 RB), Tanesha Stokes 7, Shannon Primos 6, Ashley Jones 6, Brittany Blackston 3.
 

FREE THROWS: MDCC — 16-24 (66.7%), PRCC — 13-27 (48.1%).
THREE POINTERS: MDCC — 11-26 (42.3%), PRCC — 1-6 (16.7%).
FIELD GOALS: MDCC — 19-51 (37.3%), PRCC — 19-55 (34.5%).
 

MEN
Pearl River 73, Mississippi Delta 53
Halftime: 36-21 (PRCC)
 

Scorers
MISSISSIPPI DELTA (4-8): Eugene Jackson 19, Deszni Harris 11, Patrick Woodard 10, Marquis Gladness 5, Dominque Bowman 4, Roderick Loper 1, Aajalon Smith 1.
 

PEARL RIVER (6-5): Alton Robinson 24 (6 RB), Jamar Flowers 14 (7 RB), Wesley Jones 14 (8 RB, 2 blocks), Marquez Singleton 10 (1 trey, 5 assists), Darius Acker 6 (2 treys), Chasen Uptain 3, James Williams 2.
 

FREE THROWS: MDCC — 13-21 (61.9%), PRCC — 18-32 (56.3%).
THREE POINTERS: MDCC — 0-8 (00%), PRCC — 3-8 (37.5%).
FIELD GOALS: MDCC — 20-57 (35.1%), PRCC — 26-55 (47.3%).
 

UP NEXT: PRCC opens its South Division schedule against Jones in Ellisville Monday, Jan. 9. Women: 6 p.m., Men: 8 p.m.