In their first meeting this season earlier this month on the basketball court between longtime arch-rivals Biloxi and Gulfport, the Lady Admirals and Indians came up with big wins in Region 8-6A action.
Ten days later, in the rematch, the results were much the same.
The Gulfport girls and the Biloxi boys both picked up key league wins at the Biloxi Sports Arena Tuesday night, as the Lady Amdirals began the evening with an exciting 36-32 win and the Indians followed with a close 51-45 decision.
The win moved the Indians of veteran head coach Seber Windham to 18-2 overall but more importantly a perfect 5-0 in region action and it also clinches the top seed for Biloxi in the upcoming league tournament in less than two weeks.
The Lady Admirals also remained unbeaten in the loop and atop the region standings with a 4-0 mark and the GHS girls are 18-7 overall.
The Lady Indians, who fell 34-32 to Gulfport in the prior meeting. actually led throughout most of the first half in the rematch, but late in the second quarter the Lady Admirals began a run that ended up being a 16-2 spurt that carried into the third frame.
That span resulted in Gulfport recovering not only from a 20-16 deficit and knotting the game up at 20-20 at halftime, but also translated into a 30-22 lead midway through the third frame and the Lady Admirals were able to hold off the Lady Indians the rest of the way.
Gulfport got a game-high 11 points from both Micah O’Dell and Savanha Grimsley plus 10 points from Saniah Price in the win, while Biloxi countered with nine points from Shaneal Corpuz and eight points apiece from both Zaniya Johnson and Kylie Cruso.
The Lady Indians dropped to 1-4 in region play but are 18-6 overall.
In the boys’ tilt, the home-standing Indians managed a split on the night as they jumped out to a quick lead and went on to lead by as much as 13 in the first half before settling for a 10-point 32-22 advantage at halftime.
The Admirals steadily scrapped back though as the second half unfolded, and cut the deficit to just two points with just 43 seconds to play thanks to a putback dunk from Kylan Howze. Gulfport had the ball with a chance to either tie or take the lead but the Indians forced a turnover and transformed that into a thundering dunk by Duran parish on the other end. Beau Miles also converted three out of four free throws down the stretch to help the Indians secure the six-point win.
Standout Dandy Dozen guard James Turner poured in a game-high 25 points for Biloxi, including 16 in the first half. Parish chipped in 11 points to the winning cause.
The Gulfport boys dropped to 19-5 overall on the season and 2-2 in league play. The Admirals got 11 points from Amir Abdul-Rauf and Kylan Howze finished with 10 points.
Both Biloxi teams travel to Lyman to face Harrison Central Thursday night to wrap up Region 8-6A action before each returns home Saturday night to host Pascagoula in Hoopsfest.
Both Gulfport squads host Hancock in region play Friday night. The girls’ game will be a match-up to determine the number one seed in the upcoming region tournament.
Curtis Rockwell has almost three decades of experience at four different daily newspapers across South Mississippi, specializing in Sports and live music.
