By Michael D. Gunnell
Southwest Sports Information
The Bears overcame a tough Coahoma Tigers squad Monday night to move to 2-0 on the young season with a 93-87 home win.
The game went back and forth in the early going. After falling behind 6-0 early, the Bears made it 6-2 on Roydell Brown's dunk with 18:16 left in the opening half. The Bears then took their first lead, 11-9, on Brown's bucket with 15:11 on the clock.
After a three-pointer by Antonio Cowart, Jr., had the Bears on top 18-16, the Tigers scored eight of 10 points to go up 24-20 with 10:58 before the break. The Bears then went on a 10-1 run to move back on top, 30-25, with 8:11 on the clock.
The Tigers pulled to within a point, 30-29, with 6:44 showing. The Bears then finished the half on a 20-9 run, capped by a Jeremy Harrell layup, to take a 50-38 lead into the locker room at the end of the half.
The teams traded baskets through the first 5:28 of the second half, leaving the Bears on top 66-54 with 14:32 left in the game. The Tigers then went on an 11-3 run to close to within 69-65 with 14:04 left.
A 17-7 run midway through the final half allowed the Tigers (1-1) to regain the lead, 84-83, with 10:25 left to play. But, the Bears would not be denied. A Robert Boyd trey with 9:52 remaining but the Bears back on top, 86-84, and they closed the game on a 10-3 run to secure the six-point win.
"Hats off to Coahoma," said Bears head coach Thomas Gray. "They're a well-coached group, a team that's going to shock a lot of people. They're extremely difficult to prepare for because they have so many offensive weapons."
"I'm really proud of our guys," Gray continued, "for hanging in there, for fighting to the end and sticking it out. We could have folded when (the Tigers) came all the way back from 12 points down to take a lead by one point. I'm really proud we had some guys (to) step up and it was good to see early in the season us put in a tough situation like that and be able to pull it out."
Brown paced the Bears with 24 points and nine rebounds. Cowart, Jr., had a double-double with 22 points and 12 assists while Harrell was also in double figures with 10 points. The Bears hit 20 of 39 free throws.
Daquon Morris led the Tigers' offense with 21 points. The visitors made 23 of 43 free throws.
The Bears continue their season-opening home stand Thursday night when they take on the Dolphins of Delgado Community College. Tipoff is set for 7:15.