On the Net (video):
Cord Wright talks about a hot shooting performance & great bench play:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rzAcrRz8mY
Booneville, Miss. – Some athletes might show signs of discouragement or disappointment after not playing for five straight contests, but Darius Leach proved those emotions did not apply to him on Thursday night.
The sophomore came off the bench and scored 12 points in a season-best 17 minutes to help Northeast Mississippi Community College break a four-game losing streak in a 96-65 victory over Dyersburg State Community College at Bonner Arnold Coliseum.
"I hadn't played in a while, so I just got out there and did my thing," said Leach. "My coaches and teammates gave me confidence."
A graduate of Booneville High School, Leach was perfect from the field and hit two shots from beyond the arc after halftime to help the Tigers avenge a loss to Dyersburg State in the opening outing of the season.
After playing five of its initial six games on the road, Northeast felt welcome inside its own confines and scored the first 20 points of the matchup.
Marcus Hogan connected on three treys and Cannon Edwards knocked down two from long range in the opening run that the Eagles could never recover from.
Eddie Middlebrooks finally got Dyersburg State (2-5) on the scoreboard with 13:06 on the clock, but it did not signal the end of his team's shooting woes.
The Eagles were 5 of 40 from the floor and were held to only 20 points during the opening half. Things did not get much better after the break and Dyersburg State hit just 25 percent of its field goal attempts on the evening.
Defensive pressure down low caused the Eagles to alter shooting and take more attempts from the perimeter. Big men Al Azulphar and Ben Seely combined for 14 rebounds, while Azulphar blocked seven shots.
"We've been pretty solid defensively," said Northeast head coach Cord Wright. "Guys are starting to figure out their roles more. I'll take this any given night."
No Tiger played more than 20 minutes in a contest which Northeast (2-5) led 52-20 at halftime. The Tigers were flawless in the first period from three-point range, connecting on all nine tries.
Northeast totaled 13 makes from long distance, the most since the Tigers equaled that number in a 100-77 win versus Meridian Community College on January 8, 2011.
The 96 points tallied was the best by a Northeast squad in nearly two years. The last time the Tigers totaled a higher score was in a 102-95 double overtime triumph on December 1, 2011 at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
"It felt good to finally get out there and make some shots," Wright said. "I thought we shared the ball well. It wasn't just catch-and-shoot. It was making an extra pass, which we've been talking about.
"We got some wide open ones and we finally started knocking them down and it got contagious. That's how shooting can be. Hopefully this is the start of something good for us."
The Tigers dished out 22 assists in the matchup. Leach headed the effort with five while Hogan added four.
"I've been a good passer since high school," Leach said. "I like to pass the ball and I think it's my strength."
Five Northeast players reached double figures in scoring, led by Edwards with 15 and Hogan with 13.
Leach was not the only non-starter that played strong basketball. Freshmen Tyre Mallard and Chris Echols recorded career highs with 12 points.
Overall, men that came off the Tiger sidelines scored 52 points, brought in 26 boards and dished out 15 assists.
"I've been searching and trying to find guys to come off the bench," said Wright. "Tonight was an opportunity for a bunch of them to get some extra minutes, and they proved me right that they can play."
El Paso Johnson-Pitts made the most electrifying play of the matchup. Late in the second half he took an alley oop pass from Dexter Stafford and finished off a beautiful dunk that put Northeast up 86-53.
The Tigers also returned to form at the free throw line and were successful on 33 of 46 attempts. Cameron Shorty sparked the effort with a faultless 4 of 4 evening.
Eddie Green and Middlebrooks were the only double-digit scorers for Dyersburg State with 14 and 12, respectively.
Northeast hopes to keep its hot touch in their next outing on Monday, November 25 at Columbia State Community College. Tipoff between the Tigers and the Chargers is slated for 7:30 p.m. at the Webster Athletic Center.