PREVIEW: Bulldogs to battle Wildcats in MACJC Tournament opener

GOODMAN --- The Holmes Community College Bulldogs will go into the MACJC State Basketball Tournament as the North's No. 3 seed and will face the South Division No. 2 seed Pearl River Community College Wildcats.

Holmes finished the season at 15-8 overall and 7-5 in the North Division while Pearl River finished 21-2 overall and 12-2 in the South Division. The two will battle Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Jones College in Ellisville. You can watch the game at www.jcjc.tv. Pearl River captured the MACJC title last season before the Bulldogs defeated the Wildcats for the Region XXIII championship the next week and made their second trip to the NJCAA Tournament.

Holmes is led in scoring by sophomore guard/forward Kassim Nicholson, who is averaging 15.7 points per game. Sophomore guard Czar Perry is averaging 14.8 points per game and sophomore forward Winford Ross is averaging 9.6 points per game. As a team, the Bulldogs are averaging 74.1 points per game and are shooting 46 percent from the floor, 36.1 percent from three-point range and 68.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Holmes is giving up 68 points per game.

Pearl River is led by sophomore guard Brandon Rachal, who is averaging 15.1 points per game. Sophomore guard Cedric Brim, Jr. is averaging 15.1 points per game while sophomore guard Eric Thornton, Jr. is averaging 13.6 points per game. As a team, Pearl River is averaging 88.7 points per game and are shooting 51.1 percent from the floor, 35.7 percent from the three-point line and 65.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Pearl River is giving up 68.6 points per game.