With Region 4-6A basketball games starting across the Mississippi Coast on Friday night, the Picayune Maroon Tide beat West Harrison 50-40 while the West Harrison girls won 50-33.
Both games were played at West Harrison in Gulfport.
In the girls game, Sydnei Barber led the wrath of the Lady Hurricanes, pouring in 17 points and contributing to bookend surges in the first and fourth quarters, which proved to be the difference in the game.
West Harrison outscored Picayune in all four quarters. The Lady Canes scored 14 in the first and 17 in the fourth to come out victorious.
Valynn Applewhite scored seven points in the first and five in the fourth to add to the Lady Canes’ triumph and finished with 16.
Five West Harrison players scored in the fourth quarter with the other three players—Vazlee Deschamp, Tikyazha Barron and Taylor Rae Norwood. Miranda Parker had six points in the game.
For Picayune, the younger players led the way. Freshman Laikyn Moore scored a team-high 13 points, including a 3-pointer in the second quarter as the Lady Maroon Tide tried to keep the game close.
Sophomores Rhyen Goss and Carliegh Guillote had eight and nine points, respectively.
West Harrison improves to 4-7 and will travel to Long Beach on Tuesday. Picayune is 5-7 and will host the undefeated Hancock Lady Hawks on Tuesday.
In the boys game, Dakeith Quinn had 21 points for Picayune, including two 3-pointers.
The Maroon Tide did the most damage in the second quarter with three treys—one each by Sanchez Goss, Brunson Sockstill, and Quinn to give Picayune a 25-21 halftime lead.
West Harrison battled in the third quarter and cut the lead to 37-36. Owen Reese of the Hurricanes made five free throws in the period and he finished with a team-leading 15 points.
Julian Smith of West Harrison contributed 13 points, including three bombs behind the arc.
In addition to Quinn’s scoring for Picayune, Goss had 11 points, with Jaden Hart and Stockstill tossing in eight points apiece.
Picayune improves to 7-2 on the year and will be at home Tuesday against Hancock. West Harrison falls to 5-6 and will travel to Long Beach on Tuesday.
