On the Net (video):
Cord Wright comments about another close loss:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08C4ZdC0PBI
Summit, Miss. – Two second half comeback attempts were not enough for Northeast Mississippi Community College in the concluding contests of the 2013 Southwest Mississippi Community College Coca-Cola Classic.
The Lady Tigers could not overcome a lengthy scoring drought in the game's initial moments and lost 51-49 to the host Lady Bears on Tuesday night at the Southwest Basketball Center.
An April Levy put back off an offensive rebound ended an 8-0 run by the Lady Bears to start the matchup. Northeast did not get a point on the scoreboard until the 13:45 mark when Angelia Allen hit 1 of 2 free throws.
Just over a minute later, Ayana Ragin's basket ended the drought from the floor by Lady Tiger shooters. Overall, Northeast was held to season lows in points, field goal percentage (23.5) and three-point percentage (14.3).
Teresa Mays connected on both of the treys made on the evening for the Lady Tigers. The freshman from Oakland, Tenn., finished with a career-best 12 points in her second straight start.
"I felt like I gave a really good effort starting the game off," Mays said. "I really can't put it on myself. My teammates and my coaches helped me contribute what I did."
Antionette Riddle reeled off four points in a row for Northeast (2-3) to give her team a 15-12 lead with 6:56 remaining in the opening quarter.
But the Lady Bears (4-1) tallied 16 consecutive points, eight of them by Tee Myers, over a six minute span to jump ahead and lead 28-17 at halftime.
Defensive pressure allowed the Lady Tigers to creep back into the contest following the break. Southwest was held to 23 points and shot just under 21 percent over the competition's final period.
"We tell these kids all the time that defense and rebounding wins championships," said Northeast headman Brian Alexander. "We guarded very well for the most part of the game. I'm very pleased with these young ladies."
The Lady Bears led by as many as 17 points with 12:46 to play after a Talisa Sherman layup. Northeast, however, would get back to as close as two points in the waning seconds.
Allen jump-started the rally with a momentum turning play. The Belmont native blocked a Katrina Littlepage attempt, rebounded the ball, and hit a layup on the other end while being fouled.
Her make from the charity stripe got the Lady Tigers back to within 10 points of Southwest's advantage. A Mays make from behind the arc and success at the free throw line by Aushiana Ivy got Northeast back within one possession of the lead.
Northeast stayed within double digits the final six minutes of the contest but could not push back ahead. Allen put together a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds while Ivy added 11 points.
"I'm very pleased with these young ladies," Alexander said. "I'm not happy with the result, but they're fighting, giving everything they have and we're gonna be all right as this thing moves forward."
Littlepage scored a game-best 17 for the Lady Bears and Myers totaled 12 to round out the double-digit scorers.
The Lady Tigers have the remainder of the week off before hitting the court again on Monday, November 25 at Columbia State (Tenn.) Community College.
(M) Southwest 63, Northeast 52
Sound defense, led by big man Al Azulphar, helped keep the Tigers close in on the home team after halftime.
A center from Norwalk, Conn., Azulphar blocked five shots and brought in 12 rebounds in a career-best 32 minutes of action.
"I just try to get everything that comes my way," said the nation's seventh best shot blocker. "I think we played real good as a team and everything came together."
Azulphar hit the opening basket of the contest, but Southwest (4-1) scored 11 straight from that point to take an early advantage. Twymond Howard had two field goals in that early spurt and finished with 15 points and 11 boards.
The Bears held as large as an 18-point lead following a free throw by Corey Williams and pushed ahead 32-17 at the intermission.
Howard, a transfer from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), fouled out with 10:20 remaining in the outing following a technical call that seemed to give the Tigers a renewed energy on the offensive end of the court.
Cannon Edwards was nothing-but-net on a three-point basket and Ladarius Waits contributed four points to a 12-2 run by Northeast (1-5). Dexter Stafford's lay in off an offensive board got the Tigers within 52-45 at the 7:21 mark.
Northeast could edge no closer, though, after the Bears went 6 of 8 on free throw attempts in the closing moments of the matchup.
"Throughout the game I thought we played hard and it was typical of how we've been," Tigers head coach Cord Wright said. "We hung tooth-and-nail with them till the end. We've just got to overcome those little things that are getting in our way."
Marcus Hogan headed the Tigers on offense with 12 points while Dimario Jackson notched 11. Stafford proved valuable off the bench with seven points and six boards.
"That was excellent for Dexter," Wright said of the Biggersville High School graduate. "He's a guy that played hard every night. Dexter always brings that energy and tonight he was huge in the second half for us."
Jaylen Moore (15), Deione Weeks (13) and Chris Jones (10) joined Howard in double figures for Southwest.
The Tigers return to the confines of Bonner Arnold Coliseum tomorrow (Thursday, November 21) to host Dyersburg State (Tenn.) Community College. A 7 p.m. tipoff is slated between the Eagles and Northeast.