Box Score SENATOBIA – De'Sean Dockery and Dajon Reno each poured in career-highs with 28 and 23 points and Northwest held off Delta Thursday night, 90-86, to clinch a state playoff berth.

Northwest improved to 11-8 overall and 7-3 in the north and can finish no worse than third in the north. With two games left to play against EMCC and Holmes, the Rangers still have a shot at the No. 2 seed with a split. 

Gavin Robinson hit a jump shot with 7 ticks left in the first half to give Northwest a 37-34 lead at the break.

Northwest then came out on fire in the second half and quickly built a double figure lead. 

The Rangers nearly blew that 14-point second half lead with 10:05 to go, however, as Delta rallied for a 14-2 run over the ensuing 3 minutes to pull it within a basket with under 7 minutes to play. 

Darius Duke hit two free throws to pull the Trojans within one, 76-75, with 4:48 to play before Dockery, Rashon Coleman and Tristan Moore each hit jumpers to put the Rangers up 83-76. 

With 1:09 remaining and Northwest leading 84-80, the teams traded free throws down the stretch and Moore was able to ice the game from the stripe with 12 ticks left.

After a slow first half, the teams exploded on offense in the second and combined for 105 points on 33 field goals. Northwest shot 60 percent in the period against 46 percent for Delta.  

Behind Dockery's 28 and Reno's 23, Moore added 14 points and Sharwyn McGee, Coleman and Robinson chipped in six. Coleman also added eight assists against just one turnover.

Delta was led by Johnny Rucker with 26 points and 13 rebounds in just 23 minutes. 

Northwest forced 16 Delta turnovers on the night to outscore the Trojans 23-2 in points off turnovers.

Northwest returns home Monday, Feb. 17 as they play host to East Mississippi at 7 p.m.

Live stats: sidearmstats.com/northwestms/mbball
Live video (courtesy of EMCC): http://emccathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2013-14/videos/ustream2