MCC's Allen get 300th victory with win over Gulf Coast, MCC men lose close game

MCC women 77
Gulf Coast 47

The MCC women’s team hadn’t won a home game since December 9 and with back-to-back home game scheduled, they looked to break that trend Monday night v. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

In the first seven minutes of the game, it looked like the Lady Eagles were in jeopardy of losing their third straight home game as Gulf Coast took an early lead, but at the 10:24 mark, MCC tied it up at 14-14.

From that point on, the Lady Eagles never trailed.

MCC took a 36-28 lead into the locker room at half.

MCC held a 47-36 lead with 15:30 left in the game, then went on a 30-11 run to end the game with a comfortable 30 point victory to earn their first home win since Dec. 9th v. Coahoma CC.

But the story of the evening for the Lady Eagles wasn’t getting that monkey of their back, but it was all about their head coach, Hilary Allen.

Allen came into tonight’s ball game with 299 career victories and after his Lady Eagles cruised to an easy victory, he celebrated his 300 career win on what would have been his mothers 82nd birthday.

“It was a special evening that’s for sure,” said Allen following the emotional win.

“I’ve been thinking about this all day long and it just feels really good to win tonight.”

Allen’s wife, Celia has been assisting Hilary for most of his career and has been by his side for 250 of the 300 wins.

“Usually my brothers and I talk to each other on the phone today, I wanted to wait until after the game to make that call, it’ll be a special one.”

NaDosha Strickland led MCC with 21 points. Jenifer Wair had 16, Hilal Yildrim and Holly Dial each had 9.

Carrie Dawson led Gulf Coast with 13 points. MCC women improved to 11-7, 4-3 on the season, while Gulf Coast fell to 6-12, 1-6.

MCC plays host to Hinds Thursday night at home, while Gulf Coast host SW Mississippi CC.

MCC men 96
Gulf Coast 99

To call it David v. Goliath would be a bit of an overstatement, but to call the MCC men’s team a heavy underdog against the top team in the MACJC South Division would seem fitting.

The MCC men came into Monday night’s game with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College having lost 11 of their last 12 ballgames and in a tie for last in the south division. Meanwhile Gulf Coast came in having won 7 of their last 8 ballgames and in a tie for first in the south division.

Early on it seemed that the teams would play their rolls well, as Gulf Coast, the favorite, managed a lead, but MCC took a one-point with 10:28 in the first half after a made basket from Regis Huddleston.

Gulf Coast would eventually tie the ballgame at 28-28 with 8:13 left in the first half. From that point on, the visiting Bulldogs ran to a ten point lead at the half, 47-37 over MCC.

Not only did the Eagles lose the lead in the first half, Santez Johnson, one of their post players, went down with a severe ankle injury in the first half. Johnson would be out of the reminder of the game and by doing so, left an already depleted MCC bench even thinner facing a 10 point deficit to the first place team in the division.

Gulf Cost was seemingly in control of the entire second half as MCC would get down by double digits then fight their way back to within 8 or 9 only to fall back again.

But at the 10:00 in the second half and Gulf Coast up 68-55, MCC sophomore Michael Strickland hit back-to-back-to-back three pointers to get MCC back within 4 points, at 68-64 with 9:16 left in the ballgame.

“I thought Michael played well and when we needed it,” MCC head men’s basketball coach George Brooks said after the game.

“Michael played like a sophomore should play.”

The quick 9-0 run by MCC forced Gulf Coast to take a timeout. Following that timeout, Gulf Coast hit back-to-back-to-back three pointers of their own as Henry Salter made two three pointers and Luther Suggs pitched in with one three pointer for the Bulldogs. That made the game a 13 point game once again with Gulf Coast on top 77-64.

“After we go on that run and then they answer right back with those threes- that was ballgame right there,” said Brooks.

“If we survive that run and don’t give up those threes I thought that we could’ve won the game.”

Gulf Coast would stretch it out to an 83-66 lead with just 4:58 left in the game, but MCC wasn’t done yet.

After going on a run themselves, the Eagles got two points from Michael Strickland on a put back and MCC found themselves within striking distance at 87-80 with 2:20 reaming.

Gulf Coast hit most of their free throws down the stretch and forced MCC to make a three point shot with: 13 remaining, and the Eagles missed and Gulf Coast survived a scare.

MCC was led by Maurice Naylor with 21 points. Chris Leggett and Michael Strickland both had 19 points. Dexter Leflore had 12 and Regis Huddleston had 11.

Gulf Coast was led by Carlos Wright with 27 points and Henry Salter with 24 points.

MCC men fell to 4-11, 1-6 on the season, while Gulf Coast improved to 13-5, 6-1.

MCC plays host to Hinds Thursday night at home, while Gulf Coast host SW Mississippi CC