12/2//08

PATRIOTS ON LIBERTY IN BOONEVILLE

BOONEVILLE, Miss.-- Northeast Mississippi Community College men and women’s basketball teams returned to action after the Thanksgiving holiday break Monday, December 1 at the Bonner Arnold Coliseum taking on the Patriots and Lady Patriots of Northwest-Shoals.

The Patriots “took liberty” with the Lady Tigers and Tigers, claiming both ends of the doubleheader with a 98-80 win in the women’s game and a 100-95 victory over the Tigers in the nightcap.

In their previous meetings back on November 4, the Lady Tigers lost 84-66 to the Lady Patriots, but the Tigers beat the Patriots by nine points with a final of 92-83, however, it was all Northwest-Shoals on Monday night.

In the opener the Lady Tigers looked sluggish for most of the game and were out rebounded for the night.   The Lady Tigers had the lead early in the match-up with a score of 15-8 after five minutes of play in the first half, but could not sustain that lead for long as the Lady Patriots proved to be too much.

Northwest-Shoals went on a 19-1 run and lead by ten points at the end of the first half 47-37.

The second half was much of the same as the Lady Patriots continued to dominate in every aspect of the game and would go on to seal the deal.

Northeast Lady Tigers record dropped to (4-3) overall with the loss.  Eboni Crayton led Northeast with 20 points. Charnise Mitchell added 14 points.
Shoals' Zenaunnie Cambell led all scorers with 25 points.
In the men’s game the Tigers and Patriots stayed within six points of each other for most of the game, but the Patriots hit the free throws down the stretch to put away the win.

The Patriots (2-5) opened a nine-point lead, the largest lead of the game, just before the half, but lost it with five quick Northeast (6-3) points before the half.

Northwest-Shoals opened the second half in a full court press that proved to be effective on slowing down the rally by the Tigers.

After exchanging leads through the second half, the Patriots took the final lead on a 3-pointer by Jahaziel Howard, a transfer from Central Florida.

John Sexton led Northeast with 22 points, including five of the Tigers' seven 3-pointers.  William Burdette had 16 points and eight rebounds.  Chris Gamble scored 11 and had nine rebounds despite not playing in the first half. He led Northeast in the teams' previous meeting with 25 points.

The Tigers and Lady Tigers will be back in action on Thursday night on December 4, when they travel to East Central.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. for the ladies and 8 p.m. for men’s action. 

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