ELLISVILLE – It was the usual close battle in the "Cat Fight on the Court" here Thursday night at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
 
Unfortunately for homestanding Jones College, No. 22 Pearl River prevailed.
 
The Wildcats outscored the Bobcats 17-11 over the game's final 6:53 and posted a 68-64 decision.
 
It was the 12th victory in a row for Pearl River and its seventh straight win over Jones. The Wildcats are now 16-2 overall and top the MACCC at 11-0.
 
Jones falls to 13-5 overall and 5-5 in conference play.
 
Caleb McGill's (Petal) 3-pointer with 6:53 remaining put Jones ahead, 53-51. That would be JC's longest lead of the evening. But the Wildcats scored the game's next seven points and took a 58-53 lead with 4:31 to play on an Earl Smith Jr. free throw.
 
Two Calvin Temple (Center Hill) free throws with 1:46 remaining pulled the Bobcats within 62-59. After a missed Wildcat shot, Jones got the rebound and had a chance to tie. But Temple's 3-pointer was no good and Pearl River got the rebound.
 
The Bobcats got within 66-64 with 14 seconds to play when Decorian Payton (Center Hill) made a layup. But Smith's two free throws with 14 seconds still remaining put the Wildcats up by four.
 
Jones misfired on a pair of 3-pointers in the final seconds.
 
The Bobcats played from behind for most of the game.
 
Cowandric Samuel (Jackson Callaway) made a jump shot to start the contest, but the Wildcats scored the game's next 13 points to take a 13-2 lead. PRCC led by as much as 28-14 before settling for a 33-25 halftime lead.
 
Jones battled back in the second half and took a 40-39 lead when Temple hit a jumper in the lane with 13:41 to play.
 
Temple topped Jones with 21 points and five assists and McGill added 10 points. Ashton Campbell (Forrest County AHS) ended the game with 12 rebounds, seven points and five assists. Samuel had six rebounds and three blocked shots.
 
Jarron Wilkins had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Wildcats. Smith added 13 points and Ankerion Goss finished with 12 – all on 3-pointers. 
 
Jones was 21-of-62 from the floor for 34 percent, 4-of-21 from beyond the arc for 19 percent and 18-of-20 from the free throw line for 90 percent. The Wildcats were 23-of-54 from the field for 43 percent, 7-of-18 from 3-point range for 39 percent and 15-of-21 from the foul line for 71 percent.
 
PRCC outrebounded Jones, 38-37, and the Wildcats had 18 assists compared to 13 for the Bobcats. Jones committed 10 turnovers and Pearl River had 14.
 
The Bobcats outscored PRCC 30-26 on points in the paint.
 
Jones goes to Clarksdale to meet Coahoma in a 6 p.m. tip on Monday.
 
Pearl River hosts Mississippi Delta on Monday.