The 2023-2024 prep basketball campaign tipped off all across the state of Mississippi Tuesday night including in the “Southern Six” as well.
And Jackson County was the place for a pair of season-opening match-ups for four local squads.
In Moss Point, visiting Biloxi swept a pair of varsity games from the home team as the Indians beat the Tigers 64-36 and the BHS girls won 45-24.
In the boy’s game, Biloxi senior guard Reggie Connor poured in a game-high 32 points, including 22 in the second quarter alone, and he also pulled down seven rebounds in the winning effort. Alejandro Montalvo led MPHS with 12 points.
In the girls’ game, Biloxi Freshman 6-foot-5 center Zaniya Johnson led the Lady Indians to the win with a 16-point, 9 rebounds and three block performance. Aubrey Hill added eight points for the Lady Indians.
Also in Jackson County, over in Ocean Springs, the home teams swept visiting Vancleave in a pair of varsity games, as the Greyhounds hammered the Bulldogs 70-22 and the OSHS girls doubled up VHS 46-23.
Elsewhere, D’Iberville swept St. Patrick to start the season off with as the Warriors slipped past the Fighting Irish 52-46 and the DHS girls won 51-28.
In the boy’s game, the Warriors got 11 points apiece from Juan Santiago and Jaylen Johnson in the winning effort, while Jhylonce Holden chipped in 10 points for DHS. The loss overshadowed an impressive performance from St. Patrick’s Matt Krass as the transfer from Gulfport poured in a game-high 34 points in his season-opener.
In the girls game, D’Iberville’s Akeelah Cain tallied a game-high 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds while teammate Amiyah Simpkins recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds and she also dished out five assists in the win. Teeale Wells chipped in nine points.
Also, in Pass Christian on Tuesday, the first night of the three day PCHS Round Robin Tournament to tip-off the season began with four games.
In the first game of the season in the “Southern Six”, the Hancock girls knocked off Presbyterian Christian 56-41. The Lady Hawks placed a trio of girls in double digits in the winning effort, as Brooklyn Cuevas and Anslee James led the way with 14 points apiece while Cambria Necaise added 13 points.
The PCHS boys nipped Hancock 54-52 in the second game, despite an impressive performance from Hawk senior point guard Mike Washington. Washington poured in a game-high 31 points, including 16 in a strong third-quarter flurry.
In the final two games of the night, homestanding Pass Christian split a pair of games with West Harrison as the WHHS girls won 48-37 and the Pirates knocked off the Hurricanes 56-50.
In the girls’ game, Sydnei Barber led West Harrison with 15 points while Jaylynn Applewhite added 12 points to the winning cause and Taylor Rae Norwood chipped in eight points. The LadyPirates got 14 points from Kamiyah Pruitt and nine points from Arrianna Crump.
In the boys’ game, L.J. Jaynes paced the Pass with 14 points while Brendan Necaise chipped in 12 points to the winning cause. Owen Reese led the Hurricanes with 13 points.
The event continues Thursday with four more games and then wraps up Saturday with four more varsity games as well.
