Cougars, Tigers in semifinals

MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — Cleveland State built a 10-point lead and held on for a 66-63 defeat of Volunteer State in the TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII men’s basketball tournament Tuesday at Walters State, and Chattanooga State downed Dyersburg State 110-75 in the last game of the day.

The women’s tournament gets under way today with Cleveland State also playing Vol State at 2 p.m. and Chattanooga State again playing Dyersburg at 8.

Cleveland State’s Cougars play Thursday at 2 p.m. against St. Catharine, and Chattanooga State’s Tigers face Southwest Tennnessee at 8.

Also Tuesday, Simmons — the Kentucky school that beat Roane State 74-63 in the play-in game Monday night — rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit to oust Jackson State, 80-68, and Columbia State edged Hiwassee 77-73.

Tray Okoth scored 22 points and four steals and Dario Pratt had 21 points with 6-of-12 3-point shooting for the Cougars (15-13), while Sean Bridges added 11 points and Jonathan Hines had 12 assists and only one turnover. Bridges made two free throws with 10 seconds left to stretch a 63-61 lead to four points, and Okoth hit the second of two with 1.4 to go after Lucas Jones tipped in a basket for Vol State (9-18).

Justin Wilson scored 18 points and Jones had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Pioneers.

Carl Taylor scored 25 points, Joshua Nofflet had 17 points and 17 rebounds and Alex Goldston had 13 points, eight assists and four steals in defeat for Hiwassee (17-12). Marrio Hunter and Dontavious Merriweather scored 19 points each for Columbia (9-19).

Simmons (26-5) got 24 and 20 points and eight and seven rebounds from Darryl Bell and Anthony Milan against Jackson State, which was led by Mike Williams’ 20 points and seven assists and Tristan Carter’s 18 points. DeShawn Pendleton scored 21 points and Bell and Milan added 16 and 14 in Monday’s win.

Jordan Lee continued his outstanding down-the-stretch play for Chattanooga State (14-7) with 24 points against Dyersburg.

“He’s a special player,” Tigers coach Jay Price said.

Lee had plenty of help Tuesday. Brandon Moon and Greg Brown scored 16 and 15 points, and Andrew Woods and Antonio Reese added 13 apiece. Woods and Dominique Rouse each grabbed 10 rebounds, Rouse with five assists, and Jonathan Martin had nine assists with 10 points.

Freeman Sherman had 21 points and eight rebounds for Dyersburg (5-21).