PERKINSTON – Tatyana Lofton hit a 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds remaining to lift the Jones County Junior College Lady Bobcats to a 58-57 victory over Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College here Thursday night at the Weathers/Wentzell Center.
The Lady Bulldogs had one more chance to win the game, but JCJC's Zan Ratcliffe stole the ball on the defensive end of the court to clinch the win.
JCJC played from behind for most of the night.
MGCCC took a 15-7 lead with 2:30 left in the first quarter when Kamisha Tarvin made a 3-pointer. JCJC cut the lead to 17-14 with seven seconds left in the quarter on two Kanisha Tharpe free throws, but Jasmine Nettles banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give MGCCC a 20-14 lead.
The Lady Bulldogs extended the lead to 34-21 with 4:00 left in the first half when Tarvin made another 3-pointer. JCJC's Myyah West converted a 3-point play with 27.4 seconds left in the second quarter to make it 37-26 at halftime.
JCJC scored the first six points of the third quarter and got within 37-32 on two West free throws with 7:12 showing. Lofton's drive to the goal with 1:40 left in the third quarter made it 45-42 entering the final period.
The Lady Bobcats took their first lead of the game at 50-48 with 6:36 left when Ratcliffe got a steal and converted a layup. Lofton then hit a 3-pointer to make it 53-48 with 6:04 left.
But MGCCC fought back and took a 55-53 lead with 2:15 left when Shaniqua Tobias made a 3-pointer from the top of the key. JCJC's Wendion Bibbins made a layup with 1:12 left to tie it at 55-55.
The Lady Bulldogs went ahead 57-55 with 12.8 seconds left when Tarvin scored.
That set up Lofton and Ratcliffe for their late-game heroics.
Lofton paced JCJC, 6-2 overall and 1-0 in the MACJC South Division, with 17 points and Bibbins added 13.
Markeisha Watson had 13 for MGCCC, 4-2 overall and 0-1 in the division, and Tarvin added 12.
Bibbins had a game-high 15 rebounds, while Hanah Lott had four assists and Lofton had three steals.
The Lady Bobcats were 19-of-50 from the field (2-of-11 from 3-point range) for 38 percent. JCJC was 18-of-27 from the foul line.
MGCCC was 24-of-58 from the field (7-of-15 from behind the arc) for 41 percent. The Lady Bulldogs were just 2-of-7 from the foul line.
JCJC outrebounded Mississippi Gulf Coast, 36-25. The Lady Bobcats committed 18 turnovers, compared to 22 for MGCCC.
JCJC will host East Central in a 5:30 p.m. game Monday in A.B. Howard Gymnasium. The game will air on www.jcjc.tv.
Mississippi Gulf Coast visits Meridian on Monday.
 
WOMEN
Thursday's game
At Perkinston
Weathers/Wentzell Center
Jones County 58, Mississippi Gulf Coast 57
JONES COUNTY (6-2, 1-0) – Tatyana Lofton 17, Wendi Bibbins 13, Myyah West 9, Zan Ratcliffe 8, Kanisha Tharpe 7, Aliyah Bell 4, Hanah Lott 0, Ashailee Brailey 0, Anna Wilks 0.
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST (4-2, 0-1) – Markeisha Watson 13, Kamisha Tarvin 12, Shaniqua Tobias 9, Jasmine Nettles 9, Kailin Young 9, Ka'Nosha Fairley 2, Tiana Dampeer 2, Raven Thompson 1, Whitney Williams 0, Hayley Pichon 0.
Jones County                       14  12  16  16 – 58
Miss. Gulf Coast                   20  17   8    12 – 57