Skip To Main Content

Southwest Mississippi Community College

Scoreboard

Bears come up short against Jones on Sophomore Night

By: Michael D. Gunnell, Southwest Sports Information
BEARS SOPHOMORE NIGHT
Chuck Barnes

Men's Basketball | 2/14/2020 8:00:00 AM

Things did not go as hoped for the Bears Thursday night as Sophomore Night ended in a 71-68 loss to visiting Jones.
 
The loss dropped the Bears into a three-way tie for 2nd place with Jones and Hinds in the MACJC South with a 7-5 mark; the Bears are 13-8 overall. Jones moved to 15-5 overall.
 
The game was tight from beginning to end with a pair of ties and five lead changes in the first half.
 
A three pointer by Goodnews Kpegeol left the Bears with a 15-13 advantage with 12:33 left in the opening half.
 
Jones then went on a 16-6 run to go on top 29-21 with 3:46 on the clock. Kpegeol and Spencer Rodgers then combined to score the final six points of the half to pull the Bears to within 29-27 at intermission.
 
Jones looked to put the game away in the second half, opening on a 15-6 run to move out to a 44-33 lead with 13:13 left to play.
 
The Bears had other ideas, however. With a Ryan Black trey and short jumper serving as bookends, the Bears went on a 13-3 run to pull to within 47-46 with 10:19 still to play.
 
The teams then essentially traded baskets for the rest of the game.
 
Trailing 65-59, the Bears outscored Jones 9-4 and drew to within 69-68 on a Black tip-in with 0:03 on the clock. A pair of Jones free throws then secured the win for the visitors.
 
"The positives (in the game) were we erased an 11-point lead," said Bears head coach Bryan Bender. "We were very flat to start the game…our attitudes were good, but our effort needs to be sustained from start to finish."
 
"It was obviously disappointing," Bender continued. "We wanted this one. If we had won we would have been a state-tournament lock. But, we've still got two games (left). We can still keep pushing forward. Our best basketball can still be ahead of us, we've just got to continue to get better and keep pushing."
 
Kpegeol scored 21 points to lead all scorers in the game while Black was in double figures with 11 points. The Bears were 13-18 at the free throw line.
 
SharDarrion Allen led Jones with 18 points. He and his teammates made 11 of 18 free throws.
 
The Bears continue their quest for the spot in the post-season on February 17 when they travel to Poplarville to face the undefeated and 2nd-ranked Pearl River Wildcats. The game is set for a 7:30 start.
 
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Goodnews Kpegeol

#12 Goodnews Kpegeol

G/F
6' 6"
Redshirt Freshman
Spencer Rodgers

#22 Spencer Rodgers

G
6' 4"
Sophomore
Ryan Black

#30 Ryan Black

G
6' 2"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Goodnews Kpegeol

#12 Goodnews Kpegeol

6' 6"
Redshirt Freshman
G/F
Spencer Rodgers

#22 Spencer Rodgers

6' 4"
Sophomore
G
Ryan Black

#30 Ryan Black

6' 2"
Sophomore
G