DECATUR – The 12th-ranked Jones County Junior College Bobcats scored the game's first eight points en route to a 94-78 victory over East Central Community College here Thursday night at the Brackeen-Wood Physical Education Building.
The Bobcats are now 14-1 overall and 5-1 in the MACJC South Division. JCJC is in a three-way tie with Mississippi Gulf Coast and Southwest for the division lead.
Leito Holloway (Charlotte, North Carolina) set the tone quickly, canning two 3-pointers in the first 1:44 of the game to help Jones take an 8-0 lead.
ECCC pulled within 10-9 on a 3-pointer by Jaylon Bardley, but Bruce Stevens (Bay Springs) responded with a 3-pointer of his own to make it 13-9 at the 14:36 mark of the first half.
JCJC used an 11-2 run to take a 35-23 lead with 7:30 left when Maurice Dunlap (Amanda Elzy) scored. ECCC got back within 37-30 with 5:31 left on a putback by Tonzell Handry.
But the Bobcats closed half on a 14-6 run and took a 51-36 lead at intermission.
The Warriors closed the gap to 58-49 with 15:14 left in the game when A.J. McFarland scored, but that was as close as they would get.
Jones scored the game's next 10 points with Dunlap converting a 3-point play to make it 68-49 with 13:33 remaining.
Rickey Holden's (Laurel) layup at 7:22 gave Jones an 83-62 lead. The Warriors made it 87-74 with 2:36 to play on another McFarland basket before the Bobcats closed it out.
Holloway led the Bobcats with 24 points, while Stevens had 20 points and 15 rebounds. Both Holloway and Stevens made four 3-pointers. Tristin Walley (Hattiesburg) added 12 points, while Holden and David Davis (Purvis) had 10 points each. Enrique Milton (Jackson Provine) had seven assists.
McFarland led the Warriors with 17 points, Handy added 13 and Thurston McCarty had 12.
The Bobcats were 33-of-77 from the field (9-of-29 from 3-point range) for 43 percent. Jones was 19-of-27 from the free throw line.
ECCC was 32-of-66 from the floor (4-of-11 from 3-point range) for 48.5 percent. The Warriors were 10-of-17 from the foul line.
JCJC outrebounded East Central, 46-43. The Bobcats committed 12 turnovers, compared to 18 for the Warriors.
East Central falls to 8-7 overall, 3-3 in division play.
The Bobcats host Meridian at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. The game will be webcast on www.jcjc.tv.
The Warriors travel to Hinds on Monday.

Thursday's game
Decatur
Brackeen-Wood Physical Education Building
MEN
Jones County 94, East Central 78
Jones County (14-1, 5-1)    51 43 – 94
East Central (8-7, 3-3)         36 42 – 78
JONES COUNTY (94) – Leito Holloway 24, Bruce Stevens 20, Tristin Walley 12, Rickey Holden 10, David Davis 10, Maurice Dunlap 7, Xavier Howard 6, Enrique Milton 3, Omar Steele 2, Kelvin Collins 0.
EAST CENTRAL  (78) – Alvin McFarland 17, Tonzell Handy 13, Thurston McCarty 12, Jaylon Bardley 9, Cameron Diggs 8, Jaylon Chiles 6, Antonio Clark 4, Josh Beard 3, Jaquan Dotson 2, Dalton Hanna 2, Shaquille Benson 2, Tavonta Jones 0.