Players battle for a rebound underneath the basket during the first half of Monday night’s victory by Northwest over East Mississippi. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
SENATOBIA, Miss. — In a display of offensive firepower and relentless rebounding, the Northwest Mississippi Community College Rangers secured a 107-100 victory over East Mississippi Community College on Monday night. The contest served as the conference opener for both programs, with the Rangers (12-4, 1-0 MACCC) extending their winning streak to five games.
Rebounding and Efficiency Key the Rangers’ Attack
The Rangers utilized a high-tempo “shoot and crash” philosophy that overwhelmed the Lions on the glass. Northwest finished with a 51-41 rebounding margin and a critical 19-13 advantage in offensive boards.
“Our big thing was rebounding,” Northwest coach John Redman said. “We shoot it fast and we go crash. Nineteen offensive rebounds against a good team is really impressive.”
Northwest also delivered its best free-throw performance of the season, shooting 88.9 percent (24-of-27) from the stripe. Dakota Morris led all scorers with 24 points, including a perfect 7-for-7 mark on free throws. Zahir Gutierrez followed with 19 points, while Demetrius Duffy anchored the interior with an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double. Ladarrius Brown provided a spark off the bench, contributing 15 points on five made three-pointers.
Second Half Surge
While Northwest held a narrow 44-42 lead at halftime, the offense exploded for 63 points in the second half. Redman credited the team’s depth and “platoon” substitution pattern for wearing down the opposition.
“I just think we wear guys out,” Redman said. “We scored 63 points in a half. You turn the TV on… there are guys who only score 60 points the whole game.”
Lions’ Effort Falls Short
East Mississippi (10-7, 0-1 MACCC) mounted a valiant effort, shooting 60 percent from the field in the second half. Diovion Famakinde paced the Lions with 21 points, while Jace O’Neal added 17 points and seven rebounds. Despite their efficiency inside, the Lions struggled to match Northwest’s perimeter game, hitting only 28.6 percent of their three-pointers compared to the Rangers’ 40.5 percent.
Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.
