Eagles Rally From 16 Down, Stun Pearl River in Graham Thriller

An MCC Eagles player soars toward the basket for a spectacular dunk attempt while a Pearl River defender leaps to contest the play, with the MACCC and MCC Eagles logos on the wall behind them.
An MCC Eagles player soars toward the basket for a spectacular dunk attempt while a Pearl River defender leaps to contest the play, with the MACCC and MCC Eagles logos on the wall behind them.
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February 17, 2026

Meridian, Miss. — Meridian Community College delivered one of its most memorable wins of the season Monday night inside the Graham Gymnasium, rallying from a 16-point deficit to defeat Pearl River 70-69 in dramatic fashion.

The Eagles (10-17, 2-9 MACCC) entered the contest looking to turn the tide against a Wildcats squad that came in 6-3 in conference play. Early on, it appeared Pearl River was in control. The Wildcats jumped out to a 6-0 lead and pushed the margin to 16-7 midway through the first half.

Meridian found a spark when sophomore DJ Johnson electrified the crowd with a powerful dunk over his defender, but the Eagles still trailed by 13 at halftime.

Pearl River extended its advantage to 16 early in the second half before MCC began chipping away. The Eagles tightened up defensively and knocked down key shots to fuel the comeback.

Sophomore Kelton Jones led the charge, finishing with 22 points, including four three-pointers. His scoring surge helped Meridian take its first lead of the night at the 7:32 mark of the second half, 55-54, bringing the home crowd to its feet.

From there, the teams traded baskets in a back-and-forth battle. With 10 seconds remaining and Meridian clinging to a one-point lead, Pearl River had one final opportunity. The Wildcats' jumper at the buzzer rimmed out, sealing the 70-69 victory for the Eagles.

In addition to Jones' 22 points, Ju'Juan Ray added 13 points and Johnson chipped in 10.

Head coach Clarence Weatherspoon was thrilled with the effort, praising his team's determination after battling back from a double-digit deficit. He embraced Johnson at midcourt as the final horn sounded, celebrating one of the biggest wins of his tenure at MCC.

The Eagles will now have a short break before traveling to Ellisville next Monday to take on 19th-ranked Jones College in conference action.

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