Bobcat basketball caps off first-ever back-to-back conference titles

ELLISVILLE (JCBobcats.com) – Hours after receiving a No. 4 final ranking in the NJCAA Men's Basketball Top 25 Poll, its highest-ever finish, Jones capped off its first-ever back-to-back conference titles with a 78-65 win over Hinds Monday night.

Jones won the league title outright at 13-1, winning 13 straight after losing at Itawamba to open the MACCC slate. 

The Bobcats, 27-3, have earned host rights for the NJCAA Region 23 Semifinals and Final March 12-13. They will play the winner of Gulf Coast/Baton Rouge on Monday, March 10 at A.B. Howard Gymnasium in the region quarterfinals.

It was tight throughout Monday night as expected against the Bulldogs. 

Jones scored the game's first six and Hinds responded with the next six.

A 12-2 run gave the Bobcats a 22-12 lead, started by a Ky Pernell three-ball and ended on a Jay Tyler layup. 

The Bulldogs fought back to tie the game several times and it was all knotted up at 35-35 at half.

Hinds took its largest lead, 43-39, with 16:01 left in the game before an LJ Hackman steal and slam, Avery Thomas II dunk and Kylan Howze putback dunk capped a 15-4 run.

Jones never let Hinds within four the final 9:17 and led by as many as 15 down the stretch.

Dimp, Hackman and Thomas scored 19 apiece, with Dimp going over 1,000 career points at Jones and receiving a commemorative ball postgame. Ky had seven points and is 10 shy of 1,000 career.

Jakobe Singleton single handedly tried to will the Bulldogs to victory, finishing with a game-high 32 points and 12 boards.