ELLISVILLE – Jones College overcame a 20-point deficit and took a lead in the final five minutes.
 
But the Bobcats could not hold on to the lead and dropped a 76-71 decision to Mississippi Gulf Coast here in the season opener Monday night at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
 
MGCCC took a 45-25 lead with 2:30 to play in the first half on a 3-pointer by Rodrique Massenat. The Bulldogs were up 62-46 with just inside of 12 minutes remaining.
 
JC then used a 21-4 run to go up 67-66 with 4:34 to play on a DeTrevian Broome (Raymond) fastbreak layup.
 
The Bobcats forced a turnover and had a chance to increase the lead. But Jones turned the ball over back to the Bulldogs with 3:49 to play.
 
MGCCC's Melvion Flanagan was then fouled shooting a 3-pointer. He hit two shots to give Gulf Coast the lead for good at 68-67 with 3:43 to play.
 
Flanagan hit two more free throws with 19 seconds remaining to cap a 10-2 run and put the Bulldogs up, 76-69.
 
Tradavis Thompson (Raymond) and Ashton Campbell (Forrest County AHS) each scored 22 points to lead the Bobcats. Jeff Blackmon II (Ridgeland) added 14 points. Campbell the Bobcats with seven rebounds. Thompson had six rebounds and five assists.
 
Flanagan had 17 points for the Bulldogs. Anthony Ratliff added 13, Calvin Johnson had 12 and Massenat finished with 10. Ratliff had nine rebounds.
 
The Bulldogs outrebounded Jones, 41-34. Jones was 26-of-57 from the field (45.6 percent), while MGCCC was 24-of-61 (39.3 percent). But the Bulldogs were 20-of-25 from the free throw line (80 percent) and Jones was 11-of-14 from the charity stripe (79 percent).
 
The Bobcats, 0-1, travel to Pearl River for a 6 p.m. game on Thursday. The game will air on www.prccathletics.com.
 
MGCCC, 2-0, hosts Meridian on Thursday.