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.
Ocean Springs 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.
In the boy’s game, Maddox Noblitt tallied a game-high 20 points all coming in the first half to lead the way in the comfortable win. Maddox registered 11 points in the second quarter, as the Greyhounds rolled out to a commanding 43-13 halftime lead. Kaleb Bradley added eight points for OSHS, including a pair of 3-pointers in the first period to get the Greyhounds off to a quick start.
Walker Lyons and Coby Danley each collected eight points apiece to pace Vancleave.
In the girls’ game, Starr Jackson paced OSHS with a game-high 7 points while Taylor Fairley chipped in with eight points. McKenzie Wharton, Nadia Whittle and Hiaven Washington each scored six points apiece for VHS.
Also in Jackson County, over in Moss Point visiting Biloxi swept a pair of varsity games from the home team as the Indians won 64-36 and the BHS girls won 45-24.
Elsewhere, St. Martin dropped a pair of games on the road in Mobile, Ala., to Davidson High as the Warriors beat the Yellow Jackets 61-39 and the DHS girls nipped SMHS 54-53.
And, in Carriere, home-standing Pearl River Central and Long Beach split a pair of close varsity games as the Blue Devils slipped past the Bearcats 47-43 and the LBHS girls nipped PRC 36-34 behind eighth grader Paityn Langley who led LBHS with 14 points and she also had two blocks and five rebounds.
Also, In Lyman, Harrison Central tipped off the season with a pair of games against visiting Hattiesburg and the squads split a pair of varsity games as the Tigers rallied past the Red Rebels 62-59 despite 21 points from Aujaylen Barron to pace HCHS and the HCHS girls handed Hattiesburg a 63-44 loss as Mississippi State commit Anaisha Carriere poured in a game-high 26 points while her little sister Jayla Carriere added 10 points and Saniya Murray chipped in 9 points and 9 rebounds.
Both the Harrison Central girls and the St. Martin girls will head to Oak Grove on Saturday for the Oak Grove Warrior Classic. The event consists of six girls games, and the schedule is as follows:
11 am- 12:30 pm
Hattiesburg vs West Marion
12:30- 2:00
North Forest vs West Jones
2:00- 3:30
Richton vs Columbia
3:30- 5:00
St Martin vs Brookhaven
5:00- 6:30
Laurel vs North Pike
6:30- 8:00
Harrison Central vs Oak Grove
