To say the 2024-25 basketball season has been a ride for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams is nothing short of the truth. Let’s dig into some of the highlights of the season so far, and what the remainder looks like for the Bobcats.
The men’s team kicked off the season on 11/1/24 with a 85-39 point win against ASU Mid-South Community College, becoming the largest point gap between the two teams since the Bobcats first played against them in 2022. Following the game was a 7-0 winning streak for the Bobcats.
The women’s team began close behind the men’s, starting their season on 11/2/24. However, they lost the game against LSU Eunice, 69-78, and would lose another one before they would get their first win, also against ASU Mid-South. The women’s team are currently 8-18, and 5-9 in conference play. They’ve been on a 3-0 win streak since 2/24/25.
Lots of eyes are on the men’s team this season. Last year, they won the MACCC regular season, the Region 23, the Gulf South Conference, and made it to the national tournament for the third time in the program’s history.
“The nucleus of our team had the opportunity to move on to the next level, but decided to come back,” said men’s basketball coach, Newton Mealer. “They wanted to ‘run it back’.” That’s been the Bobcats’ mantra all season, according to Mealer.
As of now the men’s team is 27-3, 13-1 in conference play, and have been on a 13-0 winning streak since 1/16/25. They are also the first-place team in the MACCC as of now.
“The mentality is one game at a time,” said men’s team forward, Amillion Buggs. “But everyone in that locker room has full confidence we’ll come out on top this season.”
The season is on the final stretch, and their goals are within reach. The Bobcats are just three games to the championship, three to regionals, and four to the national championship.
“Everybody is striving to be the top,” said Mealer. “Jones is the golden standard for junior colleges in Mississippi.”
Jones hosts the Region 23 Tournament with the first game scheduled for 3/10/25.
by Jane Moss
