ELLISVILLE – Northwest gave tournament host and 8th-ranked Jones County its best effort for 40 minutes and led for most of the first seven before the Bobcats eventually pulled away for a 107-80 win in the MACJC Tournament Quarterfinals Tuesday night.

JCJC improved to 23-1 and advances to play Holmes in the semifinals Wednesday, while Northwest's season came to a close at 14-9 overall.

Dante Sterling scored eight early points and helped the Rangers to a game-high 17-12 lead at the 14:09 mark before JCJC got hot from downtown and embarked on a 20-2 run to take control of the game.

Maurice Dunlap and Bruce Stevens combined to score 16 of the 20 points during the JCJC run as the Bobcats led by as many as 16 in the half and 44-31 at intermission.

All 12 Rangers had at least one basket in the second half, led by nine points from Therrell Gosier II and eight from Sterling, but JCJC never allowed Northwest within 19 the game's final 16:14.

Northwest scored 12 of the final 14 points of the night in the 107-80 defeat.

Sterling scored a team-high 18 points and pulled down eight rebounds, while Gosier added 11 points and four blocks and Keelin Jackson finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. Trey Skelton and Brandon Cranford added eight apiece.

Stevens and Dunlap finished with 24 apiece to pace five Bobcats in double figures.