GULFPORT — Both the Gulfport girls and their female counterparts tipped off the basketball season at home in Bert Jenkins Gym Saturday by hosting a one-day tournament.
The event was loaded with a “Southern Six” flavor as both of the host teams as well as both teams from Bay High and the Picayune girls and also the D’Iberville girls.
To get things rolling, the Bay High girls knocked off D’Iberville 38-24. Kiara Burney tallied a game-high 15 points for the Lady Tigers, and Taniyah Lewis chipped in 10 points to the winning effort. The Lady Warriors got a solid 12-point outing from Aniyah Towner in the loss.
D’Iberville was coming off a 2-0 start in the first week of the season that included a 64-17 thumping of Long Beach Thursday night. Teeale Wells tallied a game-high 27 points and grabbed five steals in that win.
Also on Saturday, the Gulfport boys won their first game under the direction of new head coach Steve Hesser with an impressive 68-34 win over Bay High. Amir Abdul Rauf tallied a game-high 25 points to guide the Admirals, while sophomore Morris Robertson added 12 points for Gulfport. Anthony Robinson led Bay High with 19 points, including five 3-pointers.
In other action, the Gulfport girls also got their season off to a successful start with a 52-32 win over Picayune.
The Lady Admirals got 11 points apiece from both M.J. Avery and Skyy Bush in the season-opening winning effort, while Picayune was led by Rhyen Goss with nine points and Kimora Banks with eight points.
Both Gulfport squads are now off for the week before each will participate in their own two-day Thanksgiving Tournament beginning Monday at Bert Jenkins Gym.
Elsewhere, after falling on Saturday to Bay High the D’Iberville Lady Warriors lost to UMS-Wright Monday night 41-37 but bounced back Tuesday night to move to 3-2 overall on the season with a 52-31 win over visiting Pass Christian. Teeale Wells once again had an impressive outing as she tallied a game-high 20 points in the win as DHS outscored the Lady Pirates 26-7 in the second stanza to break open the game and take a commanding 31-9 halftime lead. Kamaiyah Pruitt scored 10 points to pace Pass.
In the loss to UMS, Wells scored 14 points and pulled down seven rebounds, and Amiyah Simpkins added 10 points while Aniyah Towner added five assists and three steals for DHS.
The Lady Warriors are slated to travel to Hattiesburg to face Presbyterian Christian Saturday afternoon before taking part along with their male counterparts in the two day DHS Thanksgiving Tournament beginning on Monday.
