WESSON — The East Central, Mississippi Delta, Northeast andNorthwest women all advance after Monday’s opening round of theMACJC State Basketball Tournament at Mullen Gymnasium on the campusof Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

Last night, East Central held off Holmes 65-60 , MississippiDelta stunned Mississippi Gulf Coast 83-77, Northeast outgunnedMeridian 108-80 and Northwest dumped Jones County 78-66 as threeSouth Division women’s teams were eliminated.

Wednesday’s womens semifinals pit Northeast against Northwest at1:30 and Mississippi Delta against East Central at 6. The men’spairings for 3:15 and 7:45 will be decided today in the openinground.

In today’s first-round games for the men, Hinds (South No. 2)meets Coahoma (North No. 3) at 1:30 p.m. Northwest (North No.1)faces off with Gulf Coast ( South No. 4) at 3:15, Itawamba (NorthNo. 2) matches up with Pearl River (South No. 3) at 6 and hostCo-Lin (South No. 1) squares off against East Mississippi (NorthNo. 4) in the final game at 7:45.

Co-Lin, coached by Dennis Sims, is 18-7 overal and 12-2 in theSouth Division. The Wolves are led in scoring by sophomore guardLedell Eackles. Guard Joe Holliday is among the leading scorers.Brandon Caston, Dexter Middleton and Cedric Walker also start forthe Wolves.

East Central 65, Holmes 60

East Central (18-8) was led by sophomore guard Kristin Chaneywith 18 points. Kim Cox finished with 17 points.

Powering Holmes (19-5) with 13 points was sophomore guard AshleyHoward. Whitney Johnson finished with 11 points.

Miss. Delta 83, Gulf Coast 77

Miss. Delta (16-7) was led by sophomore guard VancherrikaMItchell’s game -high 24 points. Firing in 20 points was JessicaBoyd . Jazmine Cain finished with 13.

Freshman guard Veronica Palmer pumped in 20 points for 18-4 GulfCoast. Jasmine McClendon scored 12 points.

Northeast 109, Meridian 80

Northeast (20-4) was directed to the win on freshman forwardKrystal Robinson’s game-high 31 points. Chelsey Malone had 13points followed by Kelly Yates with 11.

Sophomore J.J. Huggins and freshman wingmen collected 21 pointsapiece for 17-9 Meridian. Netting 15 points was StephanieDouglas.

Northwest 78, Jones County 66

Northwest (18-7) was powered by freshman guard Candy Halls’s big27 points. Nikita Taylor netted 21 points. Takeia Gunn finishedwith 11 points.

Sophomore guard Brittany Martin sparked Jones County (13-11)with 14 points. Scoring 12 points was Taphne Jackson followed byBrittany Baham with 11.