ELLISVILLE – Jones County jumped out to an 11-point lead in the game's first 3:28 and never trailed in defeating Itawamba 86-77 here Thursday night at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
A Zebedee Rice basket gave the Bobcats a 13-2 lead with 16:32 left in the first half. JCJC went up 25-8 with 12:14 left when Andrew Riley scored on a drive to the goal.
The Bobcats would take their longest lead of the evening at 37-19 with 7:22 showing on a David Davis basket.
ICC rebounded and pulled within 45-38 with 27 seconds left in the first half on a Quenten Taylor 3-pointer. But JCJC's Maurice Dunlap answered with a 3-pointer with three seconds remaining to give the Bobcats a 48-38 halftime lead.
The Indians cut the lead to 57-55 with 13:09 left when Martaveous McKnight scored. But JCJC went on a 13-5 run and took a 70-60 lead with 8:36 left when Rice made a 3-pointer from the right wing.
ICC would battle back and get to within 75-73 with 3:24 to play on a Taylor drive to the goal.
But the Bobcats outscored the Indians 11-4 down the stretch to deal Itawamba its first loss of the season.
Once again, JCJC used a very balanced attack, placing six players in double figures.
Dunlap and Bruce Stevens led the Bobcats, 3-1, with 15 points each. Davis added 14, Tristin Walley had 12, Christian Robertson had 11 and Rice added 10.
Walley had 11 rebounds and Stevens pulled down eight boards. Dunlap had four assists and Walley had three steals.
Itawamba, 3-1, got 28 points from Taylor and 14 each from McKnight and Cody North.
JCJC was 30-of-61 from the field (9-of-23 from 3-point range) for 49 percent. The Bobcats were 17-of-28 from the free throw line.
ICC was 24-of-57 from the floor (9-of-26 from 3-point range) for 35 percent. The Indians were 20-of-26 from the foul line.
The Bobcats outrebounded Itawamba, 38-28.
The Bobcats will host Delgado Community College (Louisiana) at 7 p.m. on Monday. The game will air on www.jcjc.tv.
Itawamba visits Lawson State (Alabama) on Saturday.
 
MEN
Thursday's game
Ellisville
At A.B. Howard Gymnasium
Jones County 86, Itawamba 77
Itawamba                  38  39 – 77
Jones County           48  38 – 86
ITAWAMBA (3-1) – Quenten Taylor 28, Cody North 14, Martaveous McKnight 14, Howard Thomas 9, Barri Hill 9, Ron Davis 3, Carter Sweat 0.
JONES COUNTY (3-1) – Maurice Dunlap 15, Bruce Stevens 15, David Davis 14, Tristin Walley 12, Christian Robertson 11, Zebedee Rice 10, Rickey Holden 5, Andrew Riley 4, Xavier Howard 0, Emetric Fells 0, Albert Goss 0.