ELLISVILLE – Jones College could not slow down a hot-shooting Hinds team and dropped a 76-66 decision to the Bulldogs here Monday night at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
 
Hinds hit 30-of-53 shots from the floor (6-of-13 from 3-point range) for 57 percent.
 
The Bobcats fall to 13-4 overall and 5-4 in the MACJC South Division.
 
The game was close throughout as the lead changed hands 19 times and was tied eight times.
 
A layup by SharDarrion Allen (Raymond) gave Jones an 18-17 lead with 9:53 left in the first half. Hinds led 34-29 with 1:00 left in the first half, but a 3-pointer by Sai Fisher (New Orleans, Louisiana) with 34 seconds to play and two Allen free throws with two seconds showing knotted the game at 34-34 at halftime. 
 
A tip-in by John Rawls (East Marion) at 15:21 gave the Bobcats their longest lead of the second half at 47-44. But the Bulldogs went on a 13-2 run and took a 57-49 lead on a free throw by Kejuan Clements with 12:50 remaining.
 
The Bobcats cut the lead to 65-61 with 6:54 left on a layup by Kevin Charles (Metairie, Louisiana). A layup by Rawls with 4:04 left pulled the Bobcats within 69-64, but they would get no closer.
 
Rawls had a career-high with 17 points. Kenneth Rogers (Starkville) had 15 and Allen posted his ninth 'double-double' of the year with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Rawls and Charles each had six rebounds and Casey Smith Jr. (Columbus) had five assists.
 
Jones was 26-of-71 from the field (5-of-22 from 3-point range) for 37 percent. The Bobcats were 9-of-15 from the free throw line.
 
The Bobcats outrebounded Hinds, 43-32.
 
Jordan Johnson led Hinds with 19 points, Dontrell McQuarter added 18 and Peyton Taylor finished with 12.
 
Jones visits No. 2 Pearl River for a 7:30 p.m. game on Thursday. The contest will be streamed at www.prccmedia.com.
 
Hinds, 10-6 overall and 5-4 in the division, goes to Meridian on Thursday.