The Pascagoula Panthers once again fell short at the Big House on Thursday in the Class 6A semifinals of the state tournament, losing in heartbreaking fashion to the Ridgeland Titans 70-60 in overtime.
Pascagoula made it to back-to-back Final Fours in Jackson, but Ridgeland played the villain both times, leaving Pascagoula still without a state basketball championship.
“What a hard-fought game,” said Pascagoula coach Lorenzo Wright. “Both teams left it on the floor today. I’m proud of the boys. We just have to find a way to get over the hump.”
The Region 4-6A champion Panthers left many questions unanswered in the first half, managing only 23 points on 32 percent shooting.
Kelan Rich, who led all scorers last week with 23 points in the win over Terry, scored just two points in the first half. Panthers junior Blake Nettles kept Pascagoula competitive with 11 points in the half.
Ridgeland’s Marquise Williams dropped in 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the first half, and the Titans led 32-23 at intermission.
At the start of the second half, Pascagoula flexed its muscles, playing smothering defense and transition basketball to get back in the game.
Rich, the nephew of fallen Panthers football player Brandon Rich, caught fire early in the third quarter. Alongside teammates Nettles and Quey’sean Taylor, he led Pascagoula back, and the Panthers took the lead in the quarter.
Taylor tied the game, and on the next play, Nettles made a steal and went coast-to-coast with a driving layup to give Pascagoula its first lead since the first quarter.
Rich dribbled behind his back for one of the baskets, showcasing the aggressive style that has made him a crucial part of this Pascagoula resurgence.
“It’s hard to say goodbye to our seniors,” said Wright. “I’m proud of this group. Reaching two Final Fours speaks volumes. They definitely raised the standard.”
The end of regulation was nerve-racking.
Pascagoula was called for traveling three times, including one on Taylor, who made a fadeaway that would have given Pascagoula a two-point lead with 48 seconds left. But Ridgeland charged, giving Pascagoula a chance. However, the Panthers lost the ball and ended up forcing a jump ball as the buzzer sounded.
Ridgeland’s free-throw shooting was a factor. The Titans hit 22-of-34 from the line, including 15-of-23 in the second half and overtime.
Pascagoula went to the line only six times in the game, hitting five. It might sound like an unfair balance, but Wright said differently.
“That free-throw differential was definitely on us,” said Wright, more than likely referring to his team’s aggressive play. “Throughout the game, I feel like we didn’t attack the rim enough.”
He’s accurate about that point because when Pascagoula attacked the rim, the Panthers rallied. After tying the score at 60, the Panthers went cold at the worst possible time, giving up the final 10 points of the game to Ridgeland.
Ridgeland’s Ashton Manuel led all scorers with 21 and was one of four Titans in double digits. The others were Phil Nelson with 16 points, Williams with 15 and Josiah Davidson with 13.
For Pascagoula, Taylor scored 20 points, Nettles had 19 and Rich finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double in his last game as a Panther.
Ridgeland will have another rematch when it faces Olive Branch in the championship on Saturday night. Olive Branch, which defeated Hattiesburg in the first game on Thursday, won the title last year against Ridgeland.
