Season comes to a close with a 83-80 loss to the Northwest Rangers

SENATOBIA --- Holmes Community College held a six-point lead going in at halftime but couldn't hold on here Thursday night against the Northwest Mississippi Community College Rangers losing 83-80 and ending all hopes of making the postseason and ending the 2012-13 season.

With the loss, the Bulldogs ended the season at 11-12 overall and 5-7 in the North. Holmes ended tied with Coahoma Community College in fourth place but the Tigers advanced to the MACJC State Tournament by virtue of a tiebreaker.

Holmes jumped out in the first half by shooting 72 percent from the floor (18-25) including 17 from DeAndre Scott, who finished with 28 points. Scott connected on three three-pointers and three two-point buckets along with two free throws in the first half and added two more threes before the game's end. The Bulldogs led 48-42 going into halftime.

The Bulldogs jumped out to an eight-point lead with 18:18 left in the game on a Kenitric Gillum layup. Northwest then tied the game at 57 with 11:18 to play and later took the lead with 10:54 left to play. Northwest increased the lead to as much as seven before Holmes battled back to tie the game at 72 on a layup by Travis Johnson. Demarcus Lewis' layup put Holmes up 77-72 with 2:57 to play in the game.

The game was then tied at 78 by Northwest before Scott hit a shot to put Holmes up 80-78. Northwest then hit a three-pointer and two free throws to close out the scoring in the game.

Lewis finished the game with 16 points while Enitial Rucker had 10. Lewis, Kelvin Smith, Daniel Francis, Gillum and Johnson each had four rebounds in the game.