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Southwest Mississippi Community College

Scoreboard

Bears outlast host Meridian, 90-80

By: Michael D. Gunnell, Southwest Sports Information
Antonio Cowart, Jr.

Men's Basketball | 2/10/2017 6:06:00 AM

BOX SCORE

The Bears maintained sole possession of second place in the MACJC's South Division Thursday night with a big 90-80 road win over the Meridian Community College Eagles.
 
The win moved the Bears to 14-5 overall and 8-2 in the South while the Meridian fell to 2-16 and 0-11.
 
A jumper by James Hawthorne put the Bears up 10-5 with just under 17:00 left in the first half. Meridian then scored 10 of the next 15 points to knot the game at 15-15 with 11:54 on the clock. Just under 3:00 later, Meridian took a 20-17 lead, their biggest of the night.
 
The Bears' Rodrick Sikes then begin to find the range. Scoring 12 of his 17 first-half points in just over 5:00, Sikes helped the Bears regain the lead at 40-34 with 1:50 before the half. They went on to take a 41-36 lead into intermission.
 
Mike Parks, Jr., completed an old-fashioned three-point play early in the second half to push the Bears out to a 49-41 lead. Later, a 12-3 run extended the Bears' lead to 61-48 with 12:55 left in the game.
 
Meridian cut into the Bears' led with an 8-0 run less than a minute later, but the Bears responded with an 11-4 run of their own to move back ahead by 12, 72-60, with 8:38 left.
 
Guy Johnson's layup with 4:40 showing essentially put the game out of reach, giving the Bears an 80-63 lead. Meridian was able to narrow their deficit to nine, 81-72, with 2:47 to go, but the Bears defense held firm allowing the team to go on to pick up the 10-point win.
 
"I'm really proud of the way our guys played together on the road tonight," said third-year Bears head coach Thomas Gray. "Meridian played a great game and shot the ball lights out, especially in the first half, and we were fortunate to have a lead after the first half."
 
"But," Gray went on, "I was proud of the way our guys had continued to focus on both ends of the court."
 
Sikes led all scorers in the game with 31 points. Johnson finished with 18 points while Parks, Jr., registered 13 points and Hawthorne had 10. Johnson and Sean Smith both finished with six assists. The Bears hit 23 of 29 free throws.
 
Timothy Patton scored 22 points to top Meridian's offense. The hosts made good on 16 of 26 free throws.
 
The Bears face a stiff test at home Monday night as they host and look to sweep the season series with the 10th-ranked Jones County Bobcats. The important South Division matchup is set to get underway at 7:15.
 
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Players Mentioned

James Hawthorne

#2 James Hawthorne

F
6' 7"
Sophomore
Guy Johnson

#11 Guy Johnson

G
6' 0"
Sophomore
Rodrick Sikes

#14 Rodrick Sikes

G
6' 1"
Sophomore
Mike Parks, Jr.

#22 Mike Parks, Jr.

C
6' 9"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

James Hawthorne

#2 James Hawthorne

6' 7"
Sophomore
F
Guy Johnson

#11 Guy Johnson

6' 0"
Sophomore
G
Rodrick Sikes

#14 Rodrick Sikes

6' 1"
Sophomore
G
Mike Parks, Jr.

#22 Mike Parks, Jr.

6' 9"
Sophomore
C