2005

East Central·men let

By Marty Stamper staff writer

~ Again, I thought the guys played hard. We needed to get this one at home. We just didn't get it done in the clutch.

DECATUR- With 1-3 MACJC South Divi– sion records coming into Monday's men's con– test, both East Central Community College and SouthwestMississippi Community College were in effect battling for their respective seasons. As has often been the case this season, the homestanding Warriors had their chances, but let them slip away as the Bears headed back to Summit with a 56-55 victory. "We had a shot," said ECCC head coach Bill Smith. uwe just missed a couple of shots at the end that could have fell just as easy as they got missed. "Again, I thought the guys played hard. We needed to get this one at home. We just didn't get it done in the clutch." ~ The Warriors used an 11-0 run late in the first half to turn a 20-point tie into a 31-20 lead. Southwest returned the favor, scoring the last four points of the half and the first eight after intermission to take a 32-31lead with a 12-0 run. "They switched from man-to-man to zone right after we did and they caught us just as off– guard with it as we thought we had them when

East Central men's coach Bill Smith

we went on the 11-0 run," Smith said. "They just hit some big shots there at the end and got a couple of offensive rebounds that were the dif– ference." Neither team led by more than five points over the final17:20. After a basket by Southwest's Kevin Ricard gave the Bears a 56-53 lead with 3:45 to play, nei– ther team scored again until ECCC's Tawon Walker connected with 1:49 showing. Walker was unable to complete the three-point play, however. Southwest missed several opportunities to clinch the win. Torry Crumedy missed as the 35- second shot clock was going off, but Nicholas Stallings claimed the rebound for the Bears with just over a minute left. Crumedy misfired again with the Warriors