Lady Bulldog battle but fall in MACJC quarterfinals to Southwest, 62-56

SCOOBA --- The Holmes Community College Lady Bulldogs' season came to an end here Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the MACJC Tournament to the Southwest Mississippi Community College Lady Bears, 62-56.

With the loss, the Lady Bulldogs finished the season at 11-13 after going into the tournament as the North No. 3 seed. Southwest was the South Division No. 2 seed.

Southwest got the first points of the game before Brysa Maxwell tied the game at two. Holmes took a 5-2 lead shortly after when Jordyn Manning nailed a three-pointer. The Lady Bulldogs kept their lead until 4:21 left in the first period. Southwest then took the lead.

With 2:32 left in the first period, Southwest led by 10 before the Lady Bulldogs battled back to within four, 21-17, before the period's end when Shawanda Gray hit a three-pointer. Southwest led 23-17 after one period.

In the second period, two Gabrielle Bunch free throws brought the Lady Bulldogs to within four at 23-19. Maxwell's layup with 6:07 left in the second got Holmes to within five, 29-24. Southwest led by 10 at halftime, 38-28.

In the third period, Southwest led by 11 in the third before Holmes became battling back toward the end of the period. Jamaya Redd's shot brought the Lady Bulldogs to within seven 44-37 before Gray's free throws cut the lead to five at 44-39. Southwest stretched the lead back to eight before period ended at 50-42.

Gray's three-pointer with 9:06 brought the Lady Bulldogs to within five, 50-45. Manning's layup with 6:05 to the Lady Bulldogs to within four at 52-48 before Bunch's layup got them even closer at 52-50. Southwest stretched the lead back to six before Holmes battled back to within two, 56-54, after two Bunch free throws.

Manning scored to get Holmes to within three at 59-56, with 27 seconds left in the game. Southwest hit some free throws to pull away in the final seconds.

Bunch ended the game with 21 points while Gray had 13 and Manning and Maxwell each had nine. Maxwell led with nine rebounds in the game.

For the game, Holmes shot 32.7 percent from the floor (17-of-52), 37.5 percent from the three-point line (6-of-16) and 69.6 percent from the three-throw line (16-of-23).