DECATUR – Jones played perhaps its best first half of basketball all season and built a game-high 23-point lead but East Central would come storming back to force overtime and stun the Bobcats, 89-87, on Friday afternoon at Brackeen-Wood Gymnasium.

Jones dropped its third straight to fall to 13-9 and 6-6 in conference play with two regular season games remaining. EC snapped a four-game losing streak to improve to 13-11.

The Bobcats came out firing with a Daquarius Harris turnaround jumper and Treylan Smith three-pointer to take a quick 5-0 lead.

EC would tie it up at 7-7 before Jones ran off seven straight.

Zandon Haralson's three-pointer off an inbounds play later gave Jones a 33-14 lead and Ashton Campbell's transition three gave the Bobcats their largest lead at 48-25.

The Warriors scored the first 11 of the second half to quickly get the lead down to 10 and forced Jones to use a timeout. 

EC got within nine before five straight by Jay Barnes and a Caleb McGill three made it 58-45 Bobcats with 13:44 left.

It was 70-55 Jones after back-to-back McGill 3s with 8:52 to play when the Warriors started their comeback.

EC closed the gap to five but back-to-back jumpers gave Jones a 78-71 lead with 2:04 left in regulation.

The Warriors scored the last seven of regulation, including David Berry's game-tying three with 7.5 seconds to play.

McGill's open look from the left wing hit back iron as time expired as the game went to overtime.

EC scored the first four points in overtime and Jones wouldn't get any closer until T. Smith's banked in three-pointer at the final horn.

Jones shot 40 percent from the field and hit 11 3s.

Smith had 21 points and 14 rebounds, followed by McGill with 20-7-6, Barnes with 14 points and Haralson with 10.

The Bobcats close out their home schedule Tuesday against Hinds.

**East Central stats unavailable.