CLARKSDALE - The CCC Tigers dropped a contest Thursday in Scooba to East Mississippi, 97-71, before battling it out Saturday in an 80-79 loss to Southern-Shreveport in one of their most thrilling games of the season Saturday.

The team traveled to Scooba on Thursday and played tough in the first half against an EMCC squad that entered the game at 10-2. A late 25-17 first half run would send the Lions to the break with a 49-39 lead though, and behind 18 total points from Daniel Simmons and 16 more from Jahyde Gardiner, the home team would run away with it in the second. The Lions shot over 50% from the field in each half on their way to their 11th victory.

Dewuan Fowler and LaTerrence Henderson each finished with 16 points for CCC. It was the 7th time the freshman Fowler has finished in double figures this season and it was the sixth time for Henderson.

The Tigers returned to The Pinnacle for homecoming on Saturday, and in front of a strong, enthusiastic crowd looked to avenge their 91-49 drubbing at the hands of the Jaguars in November. SUSLA opened a 43-36 lead at half, but behind a 22-point performace from Fowler and a 20-point, 14-rebound, 3-block afternoon by Monte Martin, CCC chipped away at the advantage. They would seize it with under 30 seconds to go in the contest on a key 3 by Da'Quan Forrest, who put the team up 79-76.

Unfortunately, the Jags would draw a foul on the other end shortly after Forrest's triple and get the ball back in the game's waning seconds for a final shot to win. Derrion Porchia, who burned CCC for 24 points in Shreveport on November 13th but who had a quiter overall game in The Pinnacle Saturday, drove inside the arc and, with just 1 second on the clock, banked a runner home off the glass to give SUSLA an 80-79 comeback win.

Porchia finished with 9 points. D'Angelo McClinton and Terrence Cobb combined for 47, and the Jaguars earned their 12th win of 2015-16.

CCC remains at home for a matchup with Northwest Tuesday in The Pinnacle. Tip against the Rangers is slated for 8 pm.  

A live stream of the game will be available through coahomasports.com.