Men's Basketball | 3/1/2019 1:11:00 AM

ELLISVILLE – The Jones College Bobcats came up just short in its quest for a second MACJC championship in three years.
East Mississippi outscored the Bobcats 16-8 over the game's final 8:13 and posted a 61-58 victory in the title game here Thursday night before a large crowd at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
It was the first loss of the season for Jones at home after 14 victories.
The Bobcats, 20-6, will now head to the Region 23 Tournament at Mississippi College next week. Jones will play East Central at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
Thursday's contest was close throughout – the largest lead for Jones was six points and EMCC's longest lead was the final margin. The game featured 11 lead changes and was tied 14 times.
The Bobcats had taken a 50-45 lead with 8:50 left when Zachariah Malone (Shady Grove, Louisiana) scored with Michael Williams Jr. (Rayville, Louisiana) getting the assist.
But EMCC scored seven straight points and took a 52-50 lead with 5:13 left on a Robert Davis Jr. layup. After a Tirus Smith (Petal) free throw, Darrious Agnew scored to give the Lions a 54-51 lead.
But Kenneth Rogers (Starkville) was fouled on a 3-point shot attempt, made all three free throws and tied the game at 54-54 with 2:33 left.
Davis then banked in a 3-pointer from the top of the key at 2:13 to give the Lions the lead for good at 57-54. Galen Alexander's (Breaux Bridge, Louisiana) two free throws cut the lead to 57-56 with 1:54 left.
After the Lions turned the ball over, the Bobcats had the ball under their offensive goal. But Jones turned the ball over on the throw in and Dewayne Cox took it the other way and converted a layup to give the Lions a 59-56 lead with 1:48 left.
Alexander's putback at 1:19 made it 59-58, but that would the last points for Jones.
Winceton Edwards (Oak Grove) got a steal with about 30 seconds to play, but Alexander would misfire on a 3-pointer.
Cox was fouled with four seconds remaining and converted both free throws.
Jones got the ball to Williams who came upcourt and had a good look at a potential game-tying 3-pointer. It was online, but just missed and the Lions pulled out the win.
Jones' longest lead of the night came with 11:18 left in the first half when Rogers made a 3-pointer to make it 18-12. A Malone tip-in at the buzzer gave the Bobcats a 31-29 lead at halftime.
Alexander had 15 points and nine rebounds with Rogers adding 12 points. Williams had nine assists.
The Bobcats had a tough night shooting the ball.
Jones was 21-of-66 from the field (8-of-33 from 3-point range) for 32 percent. The Bobcats were 8-of-11 from the free throw line.
EMCC was 21-of-41 from the floor (4-of-9 from 3-point range) for 51 percent.
Cox had 19 points for the Lions and Davis had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lions outrebounded Jones, 36-30. The Lions had 19 turnovers and Jones had 14.
East Mississippi, 19-7, will play Holmes at 3 p.m. Wednesday in the region tournament.
The winner of the region tournament goes to the NJCAA Division I Tournament March 18-23 in Hutchinson, Kansas.
 
MACJC Tournament
Ellisville
Jones College
A.B. Howard Gymnasium
Thursday's game
MEN
East Mississippi 61, Jones College 58
East Mississippi (19-7)           29 32 – 61
Jones College (20-6)               31 27 – 58
EAST MISSISSIPPI (61)– Dewayne Cox 19, Robert Davis Jr. 10, Darrious Agnew 8, Donte Powers 7, Markedric Bell 7, Terryonte Thomas 6, Jerrian Young 4, K.J. Riley 0, Malik Harper 0.
JONES COLLEGE (58) – Galen Alexander 15, Kenneth Rogers 12, Tirus Smith 7, Zachariah Malone 7, Winceton Edwards 6, Michael Williams Jr. 5, David McCoy 3, Casey Smith Jr. 3, David Gaines Jr. 0, Sayveon Bumpers 0.

MACJC TOURNAMENT

Ellisville
Jones College
A.B. Howard Gymnasium
 
MEN
Tuesday's results
Pearl River 60, Holmes 48
East Mississippi 70, East Central 53
Jones College 78, Mississippi Delta 73
Northeast Mississippi 67, Gulf Coast 61
Wednesday's results
East Mississippi 62, Pearl River 57
Jones 89, Northeast Mississippi 72
Thursday's result
Championship, East Mississippi 61, Jones College 58