Wolves Erase Halftime Deficit to Beat Lions

WESSON – The Co-Lin Men's Basketball team resumed MACCC play hosting East Mississippi on Thursday, February 1. The short-handed Wolves overcame an early deficit beating the Lions, 86-75 giving head coach David Sanders one win over every MACCC opponent since arriving at Co-Lin.

"I am so proud of my team and the way they scraped and fought for this win," stated Co-Lin head coach David Sanders. "Being short-handed was tough, but the guys that played in this game showed the heart of a champion."

The Lions came out and started the game with a 12-7 scoring run to hold a lead against the Wolves at that margin with just under 14 minutes left in the first half. The Wolves responded with a 15-12 scoring run cutting the lead down to 24-22 with seven minutes remaining in the half. The teams matched scoring outputs adding 18 points each to close out the half with the Lions holding a slim lead, 42-40, as the teams headed into the locker rooms at halftime.

The Wolves then exploded in the opening minutes of the second half with an 11-3 scoring run to take a 51-45 lead with just under 17 minutes remaining. The Wolves then used a 14-12 scoring run to extend their lead to 65-57 with under nine minutes of play left in the game. The Wolves continued to flex their muscles and hold the Lions at bay as they used a 10-8 scoring run to grow their lead to 75-65 with under five minutes remaining in the game. The Wolves closed out the game with an 11-10 scoring run as the Lions never got within six points of the Wolves to secure the 86-75 victory.

The Wolves had three players hit double digit scoring as Courterius Scott led the way with a double-double of 22 points and 11 assists, a new career high in both categories, along with two rebounds and three assists. Avaughn Johnson (Jackson) set a new career high with 19 points along five rebounds and two assists while Emmanuel James (Nigeria) also had 19 points while narrowly missing a double-double with seven rebounds, three assists, and three blocks.

In his first start in conference play, Kaison Saunders (Olive Branch) also narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds with one assist and one block. Corey Brown (Roxie) had six points, Antonio Oatis (Hattiesburg) had five points, and Fred Gray, Jr., (Belzoni) and Trevon Taylor (Jackson) had three points each to round out the scoring for the Wolves.

"Courterius Scott controlled the game all night while Avaughn, Emmanuel, and Kaison played big in the paint," added Sanders. "I thought Fred Gray, Corey Brown, and Antonio Oatis were all co-players of the game for being ready when their numbers were called during this game."

Co-Lin improves to 11-5 overall, 3-1 in conference play, and will return to action on the road at Holmes on Monday, February 5. Tip-off between the Wolves and the Bulldogs is set for 7:30 p.m., in Goodman.