Forbes Powers Eagles to Home Victory Over Crusaders

An MCC Eagles player shoots a jump shot over a WCCS defender along the baseline in the Eagles' home gym, with the MACCC scoreboard and arena signage visible in the background. A teammate watches the play develop nearby.
An MCC Eagles player shoots a jump shot over a WCCS defender along the baseline in the Eagles' home gym, with the MACCC scoreboard and arena signage visible in the background. A teammate watches the play develop nearby.
Video Box Score
December 3, 2025

MERIDIAN, Miss. – The Meridian Community College men's basketball team returned to .500 on the season Tuesday night, defeating William Carey University JV 65–51 inside Graham Gymnasium. The win moves the Eagles to 4–4 on the year as they continue building momentum heading into December.

Meridian opened the game sluggishly in front of a solid home crowd, with both teams trading baskets throughout the first half. The Eagles led by as many as six points early, but William Carey pulled even at 22–22 with five minutes remaining. The Crusaders closed the half strong and took a 34–30 advantage into the locker room.

The second half, however, belonged entirely to the Eagles.

Meridian erupted on a 13–0 run to start the half, sparked by freshman Mario Forbes, who dominated offensively and finished the night with a game-high 23 points. Forbes was the only Eagle to reach double figures, but his scoring punch and energy shifted the momentum and set the tone for the remainder of the game.

The Eagles extended their lead to as many as 16 points in the second half and controlled the pace down the stretch, securing the 65–51 victory in front of the home crowd.

Freshman Kameron Wilkes and sophomore Issace Grady added six points each for Meridian, while the defense held William Carey JV to just 17 second-half points.

Head Coach Clarence Weatherspoon said he was pleased to see his team respond after a slow opening half. "The second half was much more like what we expect to see," Weatherspoon said. "We'll take the win, but we know there's still a lot of work ahead of us, especially with conference play coming in January."

The Eagles will now travel to Coahoma Community College on Thursday for a non-conference matchup against the Tigers. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

For game highlights from the win over William Carey JV, visit: https://youtu.be/gSbrAe2GqnY

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