#TCCBasketball: Defense dominates in Eagles’ win over Tigers

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (December 30, 2016) – Tallahassee Community College's men's basketball team delivered, arguably, its most impressive performance of the season on Friday, defeating Northeast Mississippi Community College, 85-49, on the final day of the Tallahassee Democrat Holiday Classic. 

Tallahassee, ranked No. 2 in Region 8 and No. 9 by the NJCAA, has won four in a row and will carry a 17-1 record into the January 7 Panhandle Conference opener at Pensacola State College. 

All ten players who dressed scored for the Eagles, including three in double-figures, led by Ronald Bell's 16 points and 10 rebounds. Kiair Crouch added 14 and Jacob Winston, 10. 

In addition to Bell, two other players recorded double-digit rebounds – David Simmons had 12 and Deion Bute, 10. 

The story of the game, however, was the Tallahassee defense, which held the Tigers to 19.7 percent shooting from the floor – just 13-of-66 overall – and 8.8 percent (3-of-34) from the three-point line. 

The Eagles also dominated the glass, outrebounding Northeast Mississippi, 66-46.

Buchanan's basketball brought Northeast Mississippi within 12 (19-7) but that's as close as the Tigers would get the remainder of the game. Tallahassee methodically padded its lead and took a 41-23 advantage to the half when Winston drained a three-pointer at the buzzer. 

Bute scored in the paint on the first possession of the second half to extend Tallahassee's lead to 20 – a margin that grew to as many as 37 in the final minute. 

In Friday's other men's contest, Three Rivers (Mo.) College defeated Pensacola State, 61-48.

Tallahassee Community College Athletics would like to thank the Leon County Tourist Development Council and Wendy's for its support of the Tallahassee Democrat Holiday Classic.