By Staff
FROM STAFF REPORTS
It was not how long the Jefferson Davis Community Warhawks led, but when they trailed that cost them an agonizing 76-75 setback at Marion Military Institute Saturday.
JDCC (2-5) led virtually the entire game, but surrendered the game-winning bucket with three seconds left.
A dozen missed free throws and a three-for-13 (23 percent) effort from three-point land were keys in JDCC's downfall. The biggest item that hurt the Warhawks was their 23 turnovers.
JDCC led most of the game by a small margin, which included a 31-29 edge at halftime. The Warhawks opened up as much as a nine-point lead on a couple of occasions in the second half before Marion rallied.
Johnson led the Warhawks with 20 points, while Jake Nelson contributed 12 points with a team-high seven rebounds.
JDCC gets its toughest test of the season so far Thursday when its face the nation's 12th-ranked team, Wallace State-Hanceville, on the road Thursday for a 7:30 p.m. game. The Warhawks close out the 2006 portion of their schedule Saturday with a 7 p.m. home game against Lawson State.
At Marion Military Institute
JDCC 31 44 - 75
Marion MI 29 47 - 76
JDCC (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Johnson 9-0-2-20; Nelson 4-0-4-12; Smith 3-1-0-9; McKinney 1-1-2-7; Owens 2-0-2-6; Griffin 2-0-2-6; Butler 2-0-0-4; Tunberg 1-0-1-3; Kelley 0-1-0-3; Hammond 1-0-1-3; Martin 0-0-2-2 (Totals: 25-3-16-75)
MARION MILITARY INSTITUTE (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Johnson 3-0-9-15; Overstreet 4-0-6-14; Bell 3-0-6-12; Hardy 3-0-4-10; West 3-0-0-6; Smith 2-0-2-6; Franklin 2-0-0-4; Poe 0-1-0-3; Hill 0-0-2-2; Ross 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 21-1-31-76)