11/06//08

TIGERS SPOIL NORTHWEST SHOALS OPENER

BOONEVILLE, Miss.-- Northeast Mississippi Community College men’s basketball team brought their record above the .500-mark and spoiled the season opener for Northwest Shoals Community College (Ala.) in one swoop Tuesday, November 4, 2008.

Northeast (2-1) handed Northwest Shoals a 92-83 setback to open the season for the Patriots.

The Tigers finally silenced any Patriot comeback thanks to sophomore forward William Burdette’s play late in the game.

Burdette, a 6-2 forward from New Albany, gave Northeast an 80-72 lead with 2:41 to go  and then stretched the Tigers’ lead to 85-77 on an old-fashioned three-point play after Northwest Shoals cut the lead to four with less than two minutes remaining.

Burdette’s three-point play staked the Tigers to their second win on the season and their second game of scoring 90 points or more. NEMCC opened their season in the PSP Industries Tip-Off Classic with a 109-100 win over Shelton State (Ala.) Community College.

Northwest Shoals took its final lead of the game with 17:50 remaining in the second half on a 15-foot jumper but the Tigers would not let the Patriots hold onto the advantage for long.

Chris Gamble, who recorded his second double-double on the season with 25 points, 12 rebounds, gave Northeast the lead for good with 15:48 to go on an offensive putback spurring the Tigers to a 12-1 run.

Northwest Shoals cut Northeast’s lead to just a bucket with 5:24 left when Jaymie Snell converted on a three-point play of his own after throwing down a dunk.

However, the Tigers would have none of the comeback as the visitors went on a 6-0 run keyed by Burnette.

In the women’s affair, the Northwest Shoals Lady Patriots opened their home season with an 84-66 win over the Lady Tigers.

Northeast had a tough time from the floor against Northwest Shoals converting on just 7-of-37 from the floor in the first half and finished the game 21-of-83 from the hardwood.

Lady Tiger freshman guard Bionca Hill, from Corinth, continued her hot start to the season tossing in 23 points and pre-season third team All-American Eboni Crayton, a sophomore guard from McNairy Central (Tenn.) tallied 16 in the game for the Lady Tigers.

###