PERKINSTON – They could have played all night here at the Weathers/Wentzell Center Thursday night.
In fact, they almost did.
Homestanding Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College outlasted Jones County Junior College 102-100 in double overtime in the MACJC South Division opener for both teams.
The Bobcats are now 5-2 overall, 0-1 in division play. MGCCC improves to 8-0 and 1-0.
The Bulldogs led by as many as 15 points in the first half, but JCJC came back and would lead by as many as seven points in the final six minutes of regulation.
Late in the second overtime, JCJC's Tristin Walley scored on a tip-in with 1:03 left to tie the game at 97-97.
Maurice Stephens scored with 43.7 seconds left and gave the Bulldogs a 99-97 lead. JCJC tied it at 99-99 with 38.3 seconds to play on two Christian Robertson free throws.
MGCCC's Davion-Cole Johnson then scored on a driving layup with 10.1 seconds to play to put the Bulldogs back in front, 101-99.
JCJC's Maurice Dunlap was then fouled with 5.8 seconds remaining. He was shaken up on the play and was replaced by Christian Robertson to shoot free throws. Robertson missed the first free throw and made the second to make it 101-100.
MGCCC got the ball inbounds to Deshawn Jones, who was fouled with 3.5 seconds to play. He made the first shot, but missed the second free throw.
The Bobcats got the rebound and called timeout with 2.9 seconds left. But the Bobcats were unable to handle the ball cleanly on the inbounds play and turned the ball over before getting a shot at the goal.
Bruce Stevens led JCJC with 27 points and 21 rebounds. Walley added 18 points, David Davis had 15 and Rickey Holden scored 13. Walley and Dunlap had four assists each.
Cole-Johnson led all scorers with 33 points. Anfernee Hampton added 18 for the Bulldogs, while Eliel Gonzalez had 13 ad Jones finished with 11.
JCJC was 35-of-71 from the field (6-of-24 from 3-point range) for 49 percent. The Bobcats were 24-of-35 from the free throw line.
MGCCC was 
JCJC led 9-3 early, hitting three 3-pointers to start the game.
But the Bulldogs responded quickly and went ahead 20-13 with 10:53 left in the first half on a Zach Parker 3-pointer.
MGCCC took its longest lead at 45-30 with 5.2 seconds left when Peyton Owen made a free throw. Dunlap's basket at the buzzer made it 45-32 at halftime.
The Bobcats battled back and would tie the game at 59-59 with 10:10 remaining on a Stevens' basket. A Stevens' 3-point play gave JCJC it's longest lead of the night at 73-66 with 5:34 to play in regulation.
The Bobcats led 79-75 with 1:09 left in regulation when Rickey Holden made a 3-point play. Jones scored for the Bulldogs with 45.4 seconds left and again with 24.9 seconds remaining to tie the game at 79-79.
JCJC had a chance to win it in regulation, but Stevens and Dunlap each misfired in the game's final three seconds.
JCJC returns home to A.B. Howard Gymnasium for a 7:30 p.m. game on Monday vs. East Central. The game will air on www.jcjc.tv.
Mississippi Gulf Coast travels to Meridian on Monday.
 
MEN
Thursday's game
At Perkinston
Weathers/Wentzell Center
Mississippi Gulf Coast 102, Jones County 100
JONES COUNTY (5-2, 0-1) – Bruce Stevens 27, Tristin Walley 18, David Davis 15, Rickey Holden 13, Andre Johnson 9, Christian Robertson 9, Maurice Dunlap 6, Zebedee Rice 3, Andrew Riley 0, Xavier Howard 0, Emetric Fells 0.
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST (8-0, 1-0) – Davion-Cole Johnson 33, Anfernee Hampton 18, Eliel Gonzalez 13, Deshawn Jones 11, Dylan Causwell 9, Zach Parker 7, Maurice Stephens 6, Peyton Owen 3, Tedrian Brisco 2, Jamond Bradley 0.
Jones County                       32  47  10  11 – 100
Miss. Gulf Coast                   45  34  10  13 – 102