BOONEVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — Jalen Chandler scored 30 points and Northeast Mississippi converted 30 of 32 free throws to hold off a persistent Three Rivers rally for a 77-71 victory in a men’s junior college basketball game Saturday.

The Tigers, who improved to 5-4, built a commanding early lead by capitalizing on Raiders mistakes and never trailed, but they could not put the game away until the final seconds. The Raiders, who fell to 9-5, whittled a 15-point first-quarter deficit down to two points on multiple occasions in the second half but were ultimately undone by turnovers and foul trouble.

The most important part of the game was Northeast Mississippi’s relentless parade to the free-throw line, particularly in the first quarter. The Tigers attempted 20 free throws in the opening period alone, making 18, as they aggressively attacked the basket and drew fouls on a struggling Three Rivers defense. This allowed them to establish a 33-27 lead despite shooting similarly from the field. The Raiders committed 20 fouls total, sending the Tigers into the bonus early in both quarters.

Chandler, the game’s top star, was the primary beneficiary. He went 12 of 14 from the line as part of his game-high 30-point effort, adding eight rebounds. His consistent scoring, including a crucial layup with 1:21 remaining to extend the lead to 73-69, helped stave off every Three Rivers push. Ezekiel Udozorh provided strong support for the Tigers with 17 points, while Zane Tipler and Javion Stephen each dished out five assists.

Three Rivers was led by Antonio Williams, who countered with 26 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Manuel Camboma added 16 points and eight rebounds. The Raiders shot efficiently from the field at 53% and outscored the Tigers 44-44 in the second quarter, but their 13 turnovers, which led to 12 more field goal attempts for Northeast Mississippi, proved costly.

The Raiders closed the gap to 67-65 on a Tristin Fleming 3-pointer with 3:27 left in the game. After a Tigers basket, Williams dunked to make it 69-67 with 1:04 to play. Chandler then answered with a driving layup. Williams dunked again to cut it to 71-69, but after a Raiders turnover, Udozorh sank two free throws with 16 seconds left for a four-point lead. Josiah Cotto hit a 3-pointer for Three Rivers to make it 75-71 with 10 seconds remaining, but Stephen sealed the win with two final free throws.

Northeast Mississippi finished with an offensive rating of 125.8 points per 100 possessions, fueled by its near-perfect free-throw shooting. Three Rivers posted a 112.7 offensive rating but managed only three assists against its 13 turnovers.

Both teams are scheduled to play again Tuesday. Northeast Mississippi will host Wallace State, while Three Rivers travels to face John A Logan.