1995

WEEK OF / - ;:) - t

Smattering of classic tournaments highlights! JUCONOTES ander teaming with carryover sophomore ~ Monica Davis, BrancU Harber and J .J. 1or- t ehead. The only loss wa~ to Co-Lin.

Holmes will flip-flop men a nd women teams from two South Division schools against two North Divisions. Gulf Coast's men-only event has the host Bulldogs and Pearl River swapping offwith Meridian and Delgado (La.). Decatur has the most attractive tourna– ment with two ofthe nation's best- the l0- ' 1 East Central women and 12-1 .Jones County men. East Central's Lady Warriors, after los– ing all the starters from last season's region– al champions, have bounced back with freshmen Melody Ret.td and Jennifer Alex-

Warriors struggling: Ea:;t Central' men show a five-game losing streak, includ– ing three losses by:~ points each plus a late collapse in an 83-69 loss to Pearl River. Coach Marty Cooper said his most con– sistent player is 6-foot-l freshman point guard Philip Prince from Philadelphia via Leake Academy. He is averaging 19 points. Cooper started a different lineup most e"– ery game, seeking a winning combination from an inexperienced group. His sopho– more class ..aw limited duty on last season's state runnen::;-up team. Young Cats: Jones County's 12-1 Bob-

ment.

k other play centers on

Mo-t of

Friday-Saturda) tourneys a1 East Central, Holme and 1i , c:ippi Gulf Coast. North and South Dil.:i ion battle~; renew next week. The dhi ton tournament~ are in mid– February North at East ~tississippi in Scooba, South at Ea t Central in Decatur, lollO\H:d by state and Recion 23 playoffs. Eye on Decatur: Thi wcek'l> tourney~ follow classic format~. Ea>-t Central and

renewal of basketball season cats rated byCooper as "the class ofMissis– sippi," are loaded with gifted newcomers. Nine ofthe top 10 are freshmen. the holidays and Hubbard came backwith a stone bruise on his left heel," Cockrell said, "so I don't know how well they'll do."

Scoring battle: Chase for the stateworn· en's scoring lead is a two-way affair with Pearl River's Elaine Powell at 34.5 point:- a game and Coahoma'sTanya ~o~ent c_lose at:12.6.1t's a big drop to ltawamba s Netsha Dobbs, third at 25.5. East Mississippi's Latoya Weaver is the top rebounder at 1G.8 with Dobbs next at 13.4. \loriheast Mississippi has the hottest scoringwith a 93.0 average followed by P earl River at 8H.9 and Northwest Mississippi 86.9. East Central has the toughest defense allowing 59.5 a game.

Fletcher Cockrell, now in his fourth sea– son at .JGJC since serving as a Texas A&M a::;:~h;tant, is worried about "getting that chemistry going again after the holiday break." While Cockrell insists defense and re– bouncUng win games. his 95 points-a-game offense no doubt helps. The combination of f>-10 guard Antoine Hubbard of All~t~wn, Pa., at 22.1 points, 6-8 forward Louts Rtch– ardson of Lomsville, Ky., at 21.2 and 6-foot guard Marcus Price of Ellisville at 20.0 is parti<.:ularly deadly. ·•But Price had his tonsils taken out over

A?PEARED :~:

CARTHAGI); : ;..~; KESHOBA DE~O:OC :<...:.. ~ NEWTON RECOKu CLARION - L~DG::~

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