Eagles and Lady Eagles Win Home Opener

MCC men win in overtime
McBride leads Lady Eagles to win in home-opener

By Rocky Higginbotham / sports editorThe Meridian Star

There are just five sophomores on the roster for Meridian Community College’s men’s basketball team — and just two of those saw action Wednesday night in the school’s 2006-07 home-opener at the Ivy Sports Center.

As expected, MCC and its big freshmen class went through its share of growing pains. But when the final horn sounded — for a second time — the Eagles were on top.MCC knocked down 7-of-9 free throws in the extra period Wednesday night and knocked off visiting Wallace-Selma 80-79 in overtime to earn its first victory of the season.

The win also completed a sweep for Meridian, as the Lady Eagles won 81-69 over Selma in their season-opener.

Both MCC teams are in action again Nov. 13 against rival East Mississippi.

MCC men 80Wallace-Selma 79The Eagles had a stretch of more than 7 minutes without a point in the first half and finished regulation with 32 turnovers — 22 of them in the second half.

But MCC also got 17 points from freshman Regis Huddleston in the second half, and George Brooks’ squad won a seesaw battle with the visiting Patriots.

“Sometimes with the freshmen, it’s hard to get that first win,” Brooks said. “But this should give them some confidence. I’m not happy with the execution, but I’m happy with the effort.”

MCC trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half before pulling to within 32-31 at halftime.

There were eight lead changes in the second half, but a Dexter Leflore 3-pointer off a steal and assist from Huddleston sparked an MCC run to make it 65-60 with 58 seconds remaining.

Wallace-Selma answered with five straight points to tie the game, and Huddleston’s NBA-range 3-pointer at the buzzer didn’t fall.

Huddleston, a former Bay Springs standout, finished with 22 points, four steals and four assists and Leflore had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead the Eagles.

Newton product Kolby Tillman contributed 10 points and nine rebounds, Santez Johnson had nine points and 10 rebounds, freshman James Berry scored nine points and had 13 rebounds and former Meridian High standout Chris Leggett had eight points and three blocked shots.

Brandon Thomas scored 17 points, Tray Williams scored 16 and Deon President had 10 points and 14 rebounds for Selma.

MCC women 81Wallace-Selma 69The Lady Eagles got a combined 39 points from newcomers Anesia McBride and Jennifer Wair and held off a feisty Lady Patriots squad.

McBride, a sophomore who missed last season with an injury, scored a game-high 20 points and Wair — a freshman from Velma Jackson — was right behind her with 19.

Sophomore point guard Holly Dial pumped in 16 points and was 9-of-10 from the free-throw line, Noxubee County freshman Zirconia Hopkins scored eight points and former Bay Springs standout NaDosha Strickland chipped in with seven.

MCC bolted out of the gate with a quick lead of 20 points and was up 47-25 at halftime before Wallace-Selma got as close as 69-69 with 5 minutes remaining.

“I was real pleased, even though we almost blew a 20-point lead,” MCC coach Hilary Allen said.

“I thought we played nervous at times which is expected in your first game.

“Give Wallace-Selma credit. They were down but they never quit,” Allen said. “But we’ve got a good group and it’s nice to get that first win.”