The Jones College Bobcats showed the Three Rivers College men's basketball team why many consider them to be a legitimate national championship contender.
Jones shot an astounding 69% (20-for-29) from the field in the first half as the Bobcats built up a 24-point halftime lead and cruised to a 91-64 victory over the Raiders Friday night at the Libla Family Sports Complex.
It was the first of two wins the 11th-ranked Bobcats picked up in Missouri over the weekend, as they went to Mineral Area the next day and beat the host Cardinals 62-43.
Friday's loss sends Three Rivers (10-6) into the Christmas break on a three-game losing streak — and with their worst loss of the season.
Ali Oralkan hit a layup with 16:35 left in the first half to give the Raiders a 10-9 lead, but it would be their last lead of the night as Jones scored the next eight points to take a 17-10 lead.
Deion Wesson's jumper with 12:39 left in the first half cut the Bobcats' lead to 25-18 and temporarily halted the onslaught, but Jones scored the next 17 points to break the game wide open.
Dimp Pernell's long-range jumper with 11:18 to go in the opening half gave the Bobcats a 29-18 lead to push the lead into double-digits, then Pernell hit another layup with 8:23 left in the first half to give Jones its first 20-point lead of the night (38-18). L.J. Hackman's two free throws with 6:39 left in the first half capped the run and made it 42-18.
The Bobcats' lead never dipped below 20 points after that — and they led by as many as 31 points when Hackman drained a 3-pointer to make it 79-48 with 10:37 left in the contest
For the game, Jones shot 52% (33-for-63) from the field, while the Raiders shot just 38% (25-for-65). Three Rivers did hold a 32-31 edge on the boards, but committed 19 turnovers to just eight by the Bobcats.
Jones had six players in double figures, led by 25 points from Hackman. Avery Thomas II added 17 points, while Malik Franklin had 12 and the trio of Kylan Howze, Dimp Pernell and Ky Pernell each finished with 10. Thomas and Howze each had eight rebounds, while Thomas also had four of the team's 14 steals.
Matt Hampton paced the Raiders with 16 points, while Meechie White added 13 and the duo of Ali Oralkan and Johann Pautsch each had eight. Hampton also had seven rebounds, while Pautsch had six and White had a pair of steals.
Three Rivers is off for the holidays until Jan. 11, when the Raiders open Region XVI play against Missouri State-West Plains at the Libla Family Sports Complex.
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