The Holmes Bulldogs claimed the 2015 Region 23 men’s title with a thrilling 92-87 overtime win over MACJC champ Pearl River here Saturday in the championship round of the Region 23 Tournament at Mississippi College and clinched a berth in the NJCAA National Tournament set for March 17-21 in Hutchinson, Kan.
Despite the loss, the 24th-ranked Wildcats, who dropped to 25-4 overall, anxiously await the possibility of nabbing one of four at-large national tournament bids, which are to be announced Sunday.
Holmes, which improved to 19-8 overall, had previously felt The River’s wrath twice this season, falling to the Wildcats 65-54 in the MACJC Tournament championship game played Feb. 26 at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson.
The Wildcats also handed the Bulldogs a 63-59 defeat Nov. 17 in Poplarville during the regular season.
In the men’s title game, Holmes jumped out to a double digit 14-4 lead in the opening five minutes, but Pearl River responded with a 12-4 comeback run, capped by a three by Malik Clements of Madison West (Wis.) High, over the next three minutes to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 18-16 at the 11:43 mark.
The teams swapped baskets over the next minute, but Cedric Harper sank a bucket at the 9:45 mark to kick off a 26-11 scoring surge to pump the Bulldogs to a commanding 48-31 advantage at the intermission.
Holmes built its lead to 18 points twice in the opening three minutes of the second half and led 65-55 with 9:43 left, but Cortez Mitchell of Callaway High capped a 15-6 River run to cut the lead to one at 71-70 at the 3:03 mark.
Pearl River managed to tie it up twice in the final minute before point Dontellius Ross of Callaway High drove the paint for a game-winning basket at the 4.3 second mark only to be flagged with a charging foul and things went into overtime at 74-74.
In the OT period, Daryl Macon sank the opening goal, but the Wildcats managed to tie it up at 76-76 and 78-78 over the next 2:20 before Vercell Webster’s put back bucket put the Bulldogs up for good.
Marcus Washington paced Holmes with a game-high 22 points and a team-high nine rebounds), while Macon added 21 (two treys, three assists), D’Angelo Richardson 16 (five treys), Cedric Harper 12 (four blocked shots), Dietrich Taylor nine (six rebounds), Jarvis Williams four (four assists), and Edward Davis (four assists) and Torlorf Thomas, three each.
Mitchell led the Wildcats with 21 points, while Clements scored 15 (seven rebounds), Ross 15, Teddy Scott of Provine High 14 (three steals), including a game-high 13 boards, William Brown of Forest Hill High 11 (three assists), Jeffery Spence of Richland High six, John Cornish of Olive Branch High five (six rebounds), and Jamond Franklin of St. Martin High one.
The Bulldogs hit 54.8 percent (34 of 62) from the field to the Wildcats’ 42.6 percent effort (29 of 68), while Holmes was an impressive nine of 21 (42.9 percent) from three-point range to Pearl River’s dismal two-of-14 (14.3 percent) showing.
At the foul line, PRCC was 27 of 35 (77.1 percent) to HCC’s 15 of 25 (60 percent) effort.
Despite playing without the services of 6-foot-8 forward Darral Willis out of Madison Memorial (Wis.) High, who was suspended for the title bout after being ejected from the Wildcats’ 67-62 semi-final victory over East Mississippi on Thursday, the River still led on the boards with 40 rebounds (15 offensive, 25 defensive), while Holmes grabbed 39 (12 offensive, 27 defensive).
The Wildcats committed eight turnovers in the game to the Bulldogs’ 13.
In the women’s regional championship battle, which preceded the men’s, Itawamba battered Jones County 84-64.
2015 REGION 23 WOMEN’S & MEN’S
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
March 4-7 / A.E. Wood Coliseum
Mississippi College / Clinton, MS
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
No. 1 Pearl River vs. No. 3 Holmes
Saturday, March 7, 2014
Holmes 92, Pearl River 87 (OT)
Halftime: 48-31 (HCC)
Second Half: 56-44 (PRCC)
OT Period: 18-13 (HCC)
Scorers
Holmes (19-8): Marcus Washington 22 (9 RB), Daryl Macon 21 (2 treys, 3 assists), D’Angelo Richardson 16 (5 treys), Cedric Harper 12 (4 blocked shots), Dietrich Taylor 9 (6 RB), Jarvis Williams 4 (4 assists), Edward Davis 3 (4 assists), Torlorf Thomas 3.
Pearl River (25-4): Cortez Mitchell 21, Malik Clements 15 (7 RB), Dontellius Ross 15, Teddy Scott 14 (13 RB, 3 steals), William Brown 11 (3 assists), Jeffery Spence 6, John Cornish 5 (6 RB), Jamond Franklin 1.
FREE THROWS: PRCC — 27 of 35 (77.1%), HCC — 15 of 25 (60.0%).
FIELD GOALS: PRCC — 29 of 68 (42.6%), HCC — 34 of 62 (54.8%).
THREE POINTERS: PRCC — 2 of 14 (14.3%), HCC — 9 of 21 (42.9%).
REBOUNDS: PRCC 40 (15 offensive, 25 defensive), HCC 39 (12 offensive, 27 defensive).
TURNOVERS: PRCC 8, HCC 13.
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Itawamba 84, Jones County 64.
UP NEXT: Holmes earned a berth in the NJCAA National Tournament set for March 17-21 in Hutchinson, Kan. MACJC state champion.
Pearl River Community College ends its season.