ELLISVILLE – When Jones County Junior College needed a basket Thursday night, they usually got the ball to
Bruce Stevens.
And the 6-foot-8 freshman forward from Bay Springs responded time and time again.
Stephens scored a season high 36 points to spark the Bobcats to an impressive 89-71 victory over No. 22 Mississippi Gulf Coast here at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
The win gives JCJC an 11-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the MACJC South Division. The Bobcats are tied for first place in the division with East Central. JCJC and the Warriors will meet at 7:30 p.m. on Monday in Decatur.
Stevens also grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked three shots. He was 12-of-19 from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range.
Stevens is averaging 18.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game this season. He has scored in double figures in every contest and has eight "double-doubles." He has recorded six straight "double-doubles."
JCJC broke a 16-16 tie with a 7-0 run midway through the first half. Stevens scored off an offensive rebound to give the Bobcats a 23-16 lead with 10:33 remaining.
Stevens drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing to give JCJC a 33-23 lead with 6:45 left in the first half. The Bulldogs battled back to within 39-35 with 3:19 left when Zach Parker hit a 3-pointer.
The Bobcats outscored MGCCC 7-2 the rest of the half – capped by a Stevens' free throw with 25.6 seconds left – and took a 46-37 halftime lead.
Stevens scored JCJC's first seven points of the second half as the Bobcats went up 53-41 with 16:49 remaining.
A
Rickey Holden basket with 15:14 left gave Jones a 58-46 lead. MGCCC got within 64-58 with 12:01 left when Tedrian Brisco scored, but that was as close as the Bulldogs would get.
David Davis and Stevens each hit two free throws and
Maurice Dunlap followed with back-to-back 3-pointers as the Bobcats blew the game open with a 10-0 run and took a 74-58 lead with 8:41 left.
JCJC would eventually take its longest lead at 87-66 with 1:24 remaining when
Tristin Walley scored.
After Stevens' effort, Dunlap added 15 points, while Walley had 14.
Holden, Walley and
Andre Johnson each had five assists, while Johnson and
Andrew Riley each had two steals.
JCJC was 33-of-66 from the floor (7-of-19 from 3-point range) for 50 percent. The Bobcats were 16-of-19 from the free throw line.
Parker and Deshawn Jones had 16 points each for the Bulldogs. Davion Cole-Johnson added 14 and Brisco finished with 12.
JCJC's win avenged a 102-100 double overtime loss at Mississippi Gulf Coast on Dec. 3. Stevens finished that game with 27 points and 21 rebounds.
The Bulldogs will host Meridian on Monday.
MENThursday's gameEllisvilleA.B. Howard GymnasiumJones County 89, Mississippi Gulf Coast 71MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST (14-3, 5-3) – Zach Parker 16, Deshawn Jones 16, Davion Cole-Johnson 14, Tedrian Brisco 12, Anfernee Hampton 6, Eliel Gonzalez 5, Peyton Owen 2.
JONES COUNTY (11-4, 6-2) –
Bruce Stevens 36,
Maurice Dunlap 15,
Tristin Walley 14,
Rickey Holden 9,
David Davis 9,
Andrew Riley 4,
Andre Johnson 2,
James Williams 0,
Davin Powell 0,
Christian Robertson 0,
Xavier Howard 0,
Zebedee Rice 0,
Emetric Fells 0,
Albert Goss 0.
Mississippi Gulf Coast 37 34 – 71Jones County 46 43 – 89
