DECATUR – Jones County Junior College had to work quite a bit to pick up a MACJC South Division road victory here Monday night.
JCJC fell behind 10-0, took the lead for good with just over five minutes to play and beat the East Central Community College Warriors, 81-72. The Bobcats remained unbeaten at 8-0 and have now won 16 straight games dating back to last year's national championship run.
JCJC trailed for the majority of the contest.
The Warriors scored the game's first 10 points and took a 10-0 lead with 16:54 left in the first half on a 3-point play by Ravion Henry. The Bobcats came right back and cut the lead to 10-9 on an 18-footer by Bryce Jones with 14:40 showing.
Henry's basket would give ECCC a 24-15 lead with 10:16 left in the half.
The Bobcats got within 35-32 on a free throw by Zeb Rice with 5.5 seconds showing, but Monte Bowie hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Warriors ahead 38-32 at halftime.
JCJC took its first lead of the night when Bennett Davis scored with 15:01 to play to make it 41-40. But the Warriors went on an 11-2 run and took a 51-43 lead with 11:22 to play on a putback by Quinton Campbell.
The Bobcats came back and the game would be tied at 53-53, 55-55, 57-57 and 60-60.
But Otis Harvey's 3-pointer from the right corner put JCJC ahead for good at 63-60. They ran the lead to 67-60 on a steal and layup by Andrew Riley with 4:44 remaining.
ECCC's Isaiah Traylor hit a 3-pointer with 3:38 play to pull the Warriors within 67-65, but that's as close as they would get.
Harvey's two free throws with 44.8 seconds left gave JCJC a 79-69 lead, which matched its longest of the game.
Jones led the Bobcats, 8-0 overall and 2-0 in the division, with 25 points and 6 assists. Harvey had 22 points and 8 rebounds. Rodrigus Palmer had 10 points and 8 rebounds. Christopher White had 6 rebounds and Riley had 3 steals.
Henry had 17 points for East Central, 5-3 overall and 1-1 in the division. Traylor added 13 and Prince McDaniel added 12. Campbell had 8 rebounds.
East Central had to forfeit two victories earlier this season because of an ineligible player.
The Bobcats were 31-of-55 from the field, including 7-of-20 from beyond the arc, for 56.4 percent. JCJC was 11-of-17 from the foul line.
East Central was 25-of-51 from the floor, including 9-of-16 from the 3-point line, for 49 percent. The Warriors were just 13-of-28 from the free throw line.
JCJC will not play again until they host Itawamba at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 6 at A.B. Howard Gymnasium. The game will air on www.jcjc.tv.
East Central travels to Baton Rouge Community College (Louisiana) on Saturday.
 
Monday's game
Decatur
East Central Community College
Brackeen-Wood Physical Education Building
MEN
Jones County 81, East Central 72
JONES COUNTY (8-0 overall, 2-0 South) – Bryce Jones 25, Otis Harvey 22, Rodrigus Palmer 10, Bryce Perry 8, Christopher White 7, Andrew Riley 4, Marquis Cunningham 2, Bennett Davis 2, Zeb Rice 1, Andre'co Calender 0, Albert Goss 0.
EAST CENTRAL (5-3 overall, 1-1 South) – Ravion Henry 17, Isaiah Traylor 13, Prince McDaniel 12, Derrick Dandridge 8, Randy Phillips 8, Quinton Campbell 7, Ramone Tate 4, Monte Bowie 3, Kristin Clark 0, Demarkus Jones  0.
Halftime: 38-32, East Central.