Eagles have 31 turnovers, give away victory

By Brandon Walker
assistant sports editor
The Meridian Star

(CLINTON) — Moments after his team's opening-round game at the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament Tuesday, Meridian Community College head coach George Brooks still had a look of disbelief on his face.

Brooks, in his eighth year at the helm at MCC, had just watched his team commit mistake after mistake before fumbling away an 11-point second half lead en route to a season-ending, 78-72 loss to Bossier Parish (La.) Community College.

Standing outside MCC's locker room immediately following the loss, Brooks knew that just one word summed up his team's performance.

"Turnovers," Brooks remarked after the game, "just way too many turnovers."

His assessment was right on the money.

The Eagles committed a season-high 31 turnovers, including 18 after halftime to allow Bossier City just enough time to make a season-saving push as the Cavaliers finished the game of a 29-12 run to escape with the win.

Despite controlling the game all the way until the 10-minute of the second half, miscues —and missed opportunities — combined to spell the end of MCC's season.

"We couldn't make layups, couldn't make jump shots, couldn't take care of the ball," Brooks said. "We played with enough toughness, we just couldn't hold the ball offensively."

MCC, which led 35-28 at the half, extended that lead early in the second half thanks to hot shooting from guards Regis Huddleston and Otis Williams.

After Huddleston scored 11 and Williams added 10 in the first half, the duo combined to score the Eagles' first eight points of the second half, helping to give MCC its biggest lead at 43-32 with just under 18 minutes left.

That's when the Eagles began to fall apart offensively.

Increased pressure from Bossier City led to nine turnovers in a five-minute span and the Cavs capitalized with a 9-0 run to climb to within one point at 49-48.

Despite dominating on the offensive and defensive glass — Meridian out-rebounded BC 51-31 — the Eagles allowed a bevy of fast-break baskets after turnovers to surrender the lead midway through the second half.

"We let them hang around too long and once they got momentum on their side, it was over," Brooks added. "We can't turn it over that much and expect to be successful at this point of the season."

On a day when MCC's Mario Luckett and Travis Thompson each grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds, Bossier City's Markcus Jackson scored 21 of his 23 points in the second half, including nine in a row to turn a 61-59 deficit into a 68-61 lead with 5:45 remaining.

On the game, Huddleston, sophomore standout from Bay Springs, led the Eagles with 22 points in his final game for MCC. Williams added 19 and Thomas Brown threw up 13 points of his own.

For Bossier City's a quarter of Cavs reached double digits, led by Jackson's 23. Brance Davenport scored 15, Nick Washington added 12 and Tony James scored 10.

With the loss, MCC's season comes to an end with a 16-12 mark.