ELLISVILLE – Jones College dropped a 63-60 decision to Meridian here Thursday night at A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
 
The Bobcats rallied from a 15-point, third quarter deficit and had the ball with a chance to tie at the end. But the Eagles forced a turnover to seal the victory.
 
Jones scored the first six points of the game, but Meridian came back to take a 14-12 lead after the first quarter.

A layup by Carolina de Domingo (Spain) got the Bobcats within 25-24 with 2:24 left in the first half, but the Eagles scored the final six points of the second quarter take a 31-24 halftime advantage.
 
Meridian went up 43-28 with 3:17 to play in the third quarter on a Raven Jones layup. Keyed by a pair of Raygan Faulkner (Meridian) 3-pointers, Jones cut the lead to 48-40 heading into the final quarter.
 
With 46 seconds remaining, Shay Hunter (Neshoba Central) hit a 3-pointer to pull the Bobcats to within 61-58. A Raven Jones layup gave the Eagles a 63-58 lead with 28 seconds to play. Hunter made a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left to make it 63-60.
 
Meridian's Halei Keyes missed two free throws with 10 seconds to play and the Bobcats got the rebound with no timeouts left. But Nataysia Willis came up with a steal to end the threat.
 
Hunter had 15 points and seven rebounds to lead the Bobcats. Larissa Hubbard (Harrison Central) had 10 points and eight rebounds and Tanivea Miller (North Pike) had 10 points. Aasia Wilson (West Jones) had seven points and eight rebounds. 
 
Raven Jones had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Eagles. Annearrea Ducksworth had 12 points and Eboni Alford had nine rebounds.
 
Jones shot 8-of-22 from 3-point range for 36 percent and 8-of-10 from the foul line for 80 percent. The Eagles were 26-of-66 from the field for 39 percent, 3-of-16 from beyond the arc for 19 percent and 8-of-18 from the free throw line.
 
The Bobcats outrebounded Meridian, 46-44. Jones had 20 turnovers against 12 for the Eagles.
 
Jones, 3-11 overall and 0-2 in the MACCC, travels to Mississippi Gulf Coast on Monday.

Meridian, 9-7 and 1-0, and hosts Holmes on Saturday.