Pearl River sweeps Baton Rouge for first hoops wins of season

BATON ROUGE, La. Pearl River Community College pulled off its first women and men basketball victories of the 2011-2012 season here Thursday with a sweep over Baton Rouge CC. The Lady Wildcats took a convincing 75-48 victory in the host Lady Bears season opener to improve to 1-1 overall, while the Wildcats were 70-59 winners and now sport an identical mark. BRCC women and men are now 0-1. In the women game, Pearl River led 36-23 at the break before outscoring Baton Rouge 39-25 in the second half to take the lopsided 27-point victory. Shanta Echols of Sumrall High (eight rebounds) and Toy Johnson of Pascagoula High (four rebounds, seven assists) paced PRCC with 11 points each, while Shana Ward, an East Central CC transfer from Carthage, added nine. Francheska Bowman out of Choctaw High in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., scored seven and blocked three shots, Alayna Bridges of Oak Grove high (five rebounds) and Branita Malone, Bowman prep teammate at Choctaw High (four rebounds), six each; Kiana Allen, a Southern Shreveport CC transfer from Ruston, La., five; Samantha Gunn out of Velma Jackson High in Canton and Lolecia Richardson out of Provine High in Jackson (five rebounds), four each; Quentessa Bullock of East Marion High and Daiquiri Raine of Poplarville High, three each;, and Jeronda Beason of Poplarville High, Stephanie Fratesi out of Washington High in Leland, and Chaquita McGee of Yazoo City High, two a piece. Rhondalon Popularus led BRCC with 13 (four rebounds), while Shana Ward added nine, Courtney Chargois and Charkira Fields, seven each; Taliah Robertson and KeRa St. John, five each; Brittany Brown and Keisha Toston (four rebounds), four each, and Quitesha Scott, Jacqueisha Spears, and Whitney Williams, one a piece. Pearl River hit 60 percent (18 of 30) from the free throw line to Baton Rouge 45.2 percent (14 of 31), while the Lady Wildcats were 28 of 58 (48.3 percent) from the field to the Lady Bears 16 of 50 (32 percent) effort. From three-point range, PRCC was one of three (33.3 percent) and BRCC was two of 15 (13.3 percent). Pearl River women out-rebounded Baton Rouge 47-36. In the men game, the Wildcats led 36-23 at the intermission, but the Bears had a 36-34 advantage in the second half only to fall 12 points shy of victory. Yondarius Johnson, a Grambling State (La.) transfer from Plain Dealing, La., led PRCC with a season-high 23 points, while Daron Bell of Bay High added 10 (nine rebounds), Mike Henry of Wayne County High (nine rebounds) and Zane Knowles, another Grambling transfer from Nassau, Bahamas (nine rebounds), six each; Quentin Watkins out of Lanier High in Jackson five, Jamaiason Hadley out of East Side High in Cleveland and Marcus Rawls of Picayune Memorial High (six rebounds), four each; and Daterris Rogers of Wayne County High two. Raheem England out of Decatur High in Decatur, Ala., hauled in nine boards. For BRCC, Matt LeBato led the way with 13 points (four rebounds), while Layonne Richardson scored 10, Tyson Goldwire eight, Jordan Bedford seven, Leon Wright five (six rebounds), Patrick Agho (six rebounds) and Maliak Henderson, four each; and Rodney Dixon and Demetri Gill (four rebounds), two each. Pearl River hit 46.9 percent (15 of 32) from the free throw line to Baton Rouge 40 percent (six of 15), while the Wildcats were 25 of 52 (48.1 percent) from the field to the Bears 24 of 61 (39.3 percent) effort. From three-point range, PRCC was an impressive five of eight (62.5 percent) and BRCC was five of 22 (22.7 percent). The River men out-rebounded Baton Rouge 49-31. PRCC and BRCC eye rematches Tuesday, Nov. 29, in Poplarville. Pearl River returns to action when it travels MACJC non-division rival Holmes in Goodman Monday for 5 p.m. (women) and 7 p.m. (men) contests before the Wildcats host Southern Sports Academy Thursday in Shivers Gymnasium at 6 p.m. in their home opener. Both River squads travel to MACJC non-division foe Mississippi Delta in Moorhead Monday, Nov. 14, for 5 p.m. (women) and 7 p.m. (men) games.