Decatur, MS-The East Central Community College Warriors fought valiantly but came up short in a closely contested matchup against Shelton State, losing 68-63 at home on Thursday night.

The game was a tale of two halves, with East Central trailing 25-22 at the break. Despite a strong second-half effort that scored 41 points, the Warriors could not overcome Shelton State's efficient offense, led by Nazir Griffin, who posted a game-high 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting.

Connor Rogers paced East Central with 18 points, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line and dishing out 3 assists. Daniel Zatsepin contributed 10 points and 5 rebounds, while Tamarion Jones dominated the glass with 10 rebounds to go along with his 6 points.

The Warriors showed resilience, outrebounding Shelton State 39-29 and converting 75% of their free throws. However, their shooting struggles from beyond the arc (2-for-11) and turnovers at key moments ultimately cost them the game.

East Central's defense made notable stops, recording 8 steals, but Griffin's performance proved too much to overcome. Despite the loss, the Warriors' effort highlighted their tenacity and potential for the remainder of the season.

East Central will look to bounce back in their next game versus Lawson State on Monday at Brackeen-Wood Gym.