By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
They outplayed arguably the top team in the Alabama Community College Conference north division - for 34 minutes.
It was those other six minutes, which came in the first half, that cost the Jefferson Davis Community College Warhawks an 84-75 home setback to the Bevill State-Sumiton Bears Saturday in their final non-conference game.
That stretch came with the score tied 7-7 six minutes into the game. Six minutes later the Bears (10-4) had completed a 24-7 run and had opened up a 31-14 lead.
The Warhawks (2-8) made some valiant attempts, but could never quite climb out of that hole in the second half.
Maurice Edmonson, who made his season debut for JDCC, scored eight of his 15 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half and his field goal with 9:55 left brought the Warhawks to within 63-52.
JDCC had two opportunities to get the lead into single digits before Bevill State went on a 12-5 run and opened up a 75-57 lead with 4:38 left.
Tim Rodgers scored eight of his 11 points over the next three minutes. Rodgers missed an opportunity to complete a three-point play opportunity, but Norman Griffin converted the offensive rebound on the miss into a bucket and a four-point play that reduced the Bears' lead to just 78-70 with 1:01 left.
JDCC later cut that lead down to 82-75 on a three-pointer by Griffin with 17 seconds remained, but got no closer.
The Warhawks open up the Alabama Community College Conference south division play Monday when they host Chattahoochee Valley at 7 p.m.
At JDCC
Bevill State 45 39 - 84
JDCC 30 45 - 75
BEVILL STATE (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) McCray 5-0-3-13; Sprouse 2-2-2-12; Rodgers 3-0-4-10; Westbrook 1-1-2-7; Pritchett 3-0-0-6; Toles 2-0-2-6; Miles 2-0-2-6; Long 3-0-0-6; Byers 1-1-0-5; Davis 1-0-3-5; Nayler 0-0-4-4; Lee 2-0-0-4 (Totals: 25-4-22-84)
JDCC (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Johnson 4-2-6-20; Edmonson 3-0-9-15; Rodgers 4-1-0-11; Griffin 4-1-0-11; Tunberg 4-0-0-8; Smith 0-1-0-3; Nelson 0-1-0-3; Martin 1-0-0-2; McKinney 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 21-6-15-75)