2015

Week of :J(l \\ L ( J (}Jc.....

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"That's what we arc all about," Porter said. "Tough. pressure defense, and making teams uncomfortable. We try to not let people be in their comfort zone. If they're right-handed, make them go left. If they're left-handed, we want to force them right." Jones was the team's catalyst with in the first half as she scored 11 of her 14 points in the half, in helping her squad build its lead to a~ many as nine, 28-19. "This was a team effort." Jones . said. "They started double· teaming me in the second half and the rest of the team stepped up. We've been working hard all year. Two practices a day, icing and heating, and we just listened to coach and had focused." However. with the help of some late free throws, the Lady tions managed to close the deficit to the three at the half, 34-31. A pivotal part in the game occurred with just under 15 min– utes remaining as EMCC's leading scorer, Ki-Ki Patterson at 14.2 points per game, was forced to lhe bench with four fouls. "That was huge," Thompson •

"We had good balance (fuesday)," said East Mississippi coach Mark White of his squad, which shot 62-perccnt for the game. 'The key to our team is having a good balance offensively. In our two losses, we shot (68) 3- point shots. We talked about not coming out and shooting a bunch of 3s. We've been very good offen– sively throughout the year." East Mississippi (8-2) led at halftime by 13. and managed to stave off any rally the Warriors attempted. Former Meridian High School standout Antonio Finley and Jahycle Gardiner led EMCC with 20 points each. "Everybody is just buying in," said Finley, who is the reigning MACJC Player of the Week. "\Ve have a young team, so every night it's all about for effort. It's all about how hard we are willing to go every possession. We have to do whatever it takes lo \\in, we have to continue to do the little things." With the win. East Mississ;J)pi CC avenges an 80-77 loss at the

"We have to take a day off and get our legs back under us," Thompson said. "We have to set our focus to in for conference play. We have to get better defensively. Offensively, we have been pretty good all year, and we have to keep grinding. I'm excited with where we are, and we just have to stay focused." Meanwhile. East Mississippi will return to action Thursday at Meridian Community College. "We have to defend and rebound," White said. "That's what this pro~ram has been about. This may be the best offensive team that we have ever had. So that's not going to be our problem. We have to continue to value every possession and win every posses– sion." For East Central, Isaiah Taylor scored a team-high 17 points and Quinton Campbell added 13 points. La'Datren Deas scored 16 points, Jua1'\ Davis Jr. scored J3, and Shelvick Henry Jr. chipp(..::1 in with 12 points for East Mississippi. •

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Newton Appeal ______

Appeared in:

Carthaginian------- Scott County Times ____

Clarion-Ledger _ _____

Spirit br Morton -----

Meridian Star _ _ _,\..._/___

Winston County Journal ___

Neshoba Democrat----- Other Publications ----- • •