Box Score BEEVILLE -- With 10 minutes to play Sunday, Navarro awakened from a 48-47 deficit and went on a crucial 15-3 run over the next five minutes that pushed the Bulldogs past Coastal Bend 69-56.
Sophomore Akol Mawein's 17-point, nine defensive-rebound effort helped NC to its fifth straight win and sole possession of fourth place inthe Region XIV standings and two games behind league-leading TVCC (8-1). Percentagewise, 14th-ranked Panola (7-2) and Blinn (5-2) stand 2-3 ahead of the 'Dawgs.
Sunday's re-scheduled victory now gives coach Grant McMillan's Bulldogs an opportunity this week to zero in with laser-focus on Panola here Wednesday and at Athens Saturday against TVCC. Consecutive wins to atone for a pair two-possession losses during the first round could carve Navarro's pathway to higher standing and to higher tournament seeding.
Mawein reached high-point honors Sunday for the third time this season, connecting on 6-of-9 shots, including 2-of-3 from the perimeter
Last-place Coastal Bend, which had played only game since February 3, battled the Bulldogs closely Sunday at The Peter S. Marecek PB Building. The Cougars, with a February schedule littered by five postponements, slipped to 1-6 overall with the loss.
Drue Drinnon added 15 points, three rebounds, four assists, a steal and a blocked shot for NC, which led 30-24 at halftime.
Sabry Philip put in 12 points from 5-of-7 shooting and contributed three rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot.
Navarro shot 42 percent from the floor (25-of-59), but below 50 percent from the foul line for a second straight contest. NC converted only 13 of 29 free-throw opportunities.
FREE-THROWS: The Bulldogs matched their season-high rebounding total (42), while establishing their high watermark in defensive boards (33).....Navarro's led at halftime seven consecutive games, and has won its last five....NC is 1-3 in two-possession games....Region XIV blocked-shots leader, sophomore Brian Washington, now has 17 career games with multiple blocked shots and 15 with double-figure rebound totals. He has another 9 games of 8-plus boards....Freshman Jaylen Harrison ranks fourth in Region XIV in total steals (18)...Drue Drinnon ranks eighth in Region XIV scoring average (18.0). He's 10th in total assists (34) and point scored (144)....Early hype for Navarro's upcoming week: Based on games through Sunday, the Massey Ratings list Trinity Valley at No. 20, Panola at No. 24, and Navarro at No. 27.
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SCORE BY HALVES:
Navarro................30....39 -- 69
Coastal Bend.........24....32 -- 56
TOTAL FOULS: NC -- 11.
FOUL OUT: NC -- None.
REBOUNDS: NC -- 42 (9/33). Mawein 9, Washington 9, Doumbia 5, Abraham 4, Drinnon 3, Harrison 3, Manuel 3, Philip 3, Moor 3.
ASSISTS: NC -- 17. Drinnon 4, Harrison 4, Washington 4, Moor 3, Philip 1, Mawein 1.
STEALS: NC -- 7. Harrison 3, Drinnon 1, Abraham 1, Mawein 1, Washington 1
BLOCKED SHOTS: NC -- 4. Washington 2, Philip 1, Drinnon 1.
JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD
Games Played Saturday, February 27
REGION XIV
Bossier Parish 76, Panola 74
TVCC 74, Kilgore 65
Lamar State-Port Arthur 85, Jacksonville 83
Paris 68, Tyler 60
Blinn at Victoria, ppd.
REGION V NTJCAC
Grayson 131, McLennan 120
Collin 62, Ranger 59
Weatherford 81, Temple 79
REGION XIV MEN'S STANDINGS
After Games Sunday, February 28
TEAM......................(W-L)
TVCC.........................8-1
Panola.......................7-2
Blinn.........................5-2
Navarro.....................6-3
Kilgore.......................5-3
Paris..........................6-5
Tyler..........................4-5
Victoria......................2-3
Bossier Parish.............3-6
Lamar State...............2-7
Jacksonville................2-8
Coastal Bend..............1-6
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