ELLISVILLE – Dimp Pernell scored 20 of his game-high 22 points in the first half and three other Bobcats finished in double figures in a gritty, 80-75 win over Baton Rouge Monday night in the NJCAA Region 23 Quarterfinals.

Jones, 25-6, advances to Thursday's semifinals at Tougaloo College in Jackson where they will meet Holmes, 23-8.

Baton Rouge (14-13) led 21-16 with 11:55 left in the opening half and 28-24 at the second media timeout before a big Bobcat run.

Jones scored 14 of the next 16 to take a 38-30 lead, eight of those coming from D. Pernell.

Jones led 49-40 at half.

BRCC battled back to take a 60-57 lead with 12:08 to play, but would never lead again.

Jones strung together a 16-6 run to eventually take a 10-point lead with 2:02 to play and would close out the win from there.

Dimp scored 22 points and added nine rebounds to lead the Bobcat offense. LJ Hackman scored 15, Ky Pernell added 15 and Malik Franklin a dozen off the bench.

Kylan Howze had eight points, six rebounds and three blocks in 18 minutes before fouling out. 

Tyrael-Cage Heke led the Bears with 18 points.

Jones shot 38 percent, including just 29 percent in the second half, against 36 percent for BRCC. 

Jones is trying to return to the Region 23 Finals for a second straight year.