CLARKSDALE - The CCC Lady Tigers jumped out to an early lead but could not hold on against the Lady Bulldogs of Hinds, falling in a heartbreaker, 71-68 Saturday in The Pinnacle. Eugenia Gilliam turned in one of the most impressive MACJC performances of the year by scoring 33 points and collecting 17 rebounds. 

CCC got off to a great start behind a 23-point 1st quarter. They would carry a 4-point advantage into the locker rooms behind 16 first-half points from Gilliam, and they would rebuild the lead to 11 in the 3rd.

But foul trouble proved to be the undoing of the Lady Tigers. Jasmine Leonard fouled out shortly into the 3rd quarter and was followed to the bench with 5 by point guard Tatyana Brownlee and shooting guard Diamond Love. The Lady Tigers, who have been hurt by injuries late in the first half of the season, had to exhaust the bench and resort to using only 4 players in the final half of the 4th.

The team stood tall though, re-establishing a 2-point advantage with just 66 seconds left despite being a woman down. But then Gilliam was cited for a 5th foul, and Hinds was able to take the advantage against the remaining Lady Tigers. The Lady Bulldogs just managed to hang on for a 71-68 win when Raven Hawkins' last-ditch 3-point attempt proved to be off the mark.

The loss dropped CCC to 2-10 on the year. For Gilliam, it was the 8th time in the last 9 games she has scored at least 20 points, and her 17 rebounds were a season-high. 

Hinds, led by Hillary Kemp (16 points) and Kaletreon Baker (15 points), improved to 6-4.

CCC Basketball returns January 14th at East Mississippi after the holiday break. The Lady Tigers will tip against the Lady Lions at 5:30 in Scooba.

A live stream will be available on coahomasports.com.