Prep hoops: Mississippi wins five in inaugural Miss/Ala Challenge

January 14, 2023: Hancock Anslee James (14) drives around McGill-Toulen guard EC Harbough (00) during the Hancock versus McGill-Toulen (Mobile, AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

The host Magnolia state won five out of the seven games in the inaugural Mississippi/Alabama Challenge played Saturday at the Biloxi High Sports Arena.
The final count stood like this:
Hancock 39, McGill-Toolen 38 (Overtime)
West Harrison 34, Fairhope 25
D’Iberville 41, Williamson 29
Davidson 43, Pascagoula 30
Ocean Springs 46, Gulf Shores 27
Theodore 43, Moss Point 27
Biloxi 31, Daphne 29
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January 14, 2023: McGill-Toulen Sam Burroughs (50) blocks a shot by Hancock Nina Wedgeworth (15) during the Hancock versus McGill-Toulen (Mobile, AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

January 14, 2023: Hancock Cambria Necaise (5) is guarded by McGill-Toulen Anna McCarron (3) during the Hancock versus McGill-Toulen (Mobile, AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

The Hancock Lady Hawks bounced back from suffering their first loss of the season earlier in the week with a resounding 62-44 win over Harrison Central in Region 8-6A play Friday night before pulling out the exciting one-point win over McGill-Toolen in the first game of the Challenge Saturday morning.
Brooklyn Cuevas led Hancock with 17 points, including a trio of 3-pointers as well as a trey in the extra session that provided the game-winning points for the Lady Hawks.
Hancock now stands 22-1 on the season and heads back to Biloxi for a Region 8-6A rematch Tuesday night.

January 14, 2023: McGill-Toulen Lucy Cox (22) steps into double coverage as Hancock Brooklyn Cuevas (12) and Talana Bond (1) attempt to steal the ball during the Hancock versus McGill-Toulen (Mobile, AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

January 14, 2023: Hancock Brooklyn Cuevas (12) leans in to McGill-Toulen E.C. Harbough (00) as she drives for the shot to tie the game and go to overtime as regulation time expires during the Hancock versus McGill-Toulen (Mobile, AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

January 14, 2023: McGill-Toulen Lindsey Cox (11) is covered by Hancock Talana Bond (1) during the Hancock versus McGill-Toulen (Mobile, AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

January 14, 2023: West Harrison Ty Gooden (3) during the West Harrison versus Fairhope (AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

The West Harrison Lady Hurricanes toppled Fairhope by nine, and in doing so got 10 points from Taylor Hopgood and eight points from Miranda Parker. The WHHS girls are now 14-7 overall and stand 3-0 in Region 8-5A play also after a 43-37 win over Pearl River Central Friday night. The Lady Hurricanes face Long Beach in league play Friday night.

January 14, 2023: West Harrison Jalynn Applewhite (1) and Fairhope (AL) guard Peyton Frazer (21) battle for a rebound during the West Harrison versus Fairhope (AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

January 14, 2023: West Harrison Taylor Rae Norwood (15) during the West Harrison versus Fairhope (AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

January 14, 2023: West Harrison Taylor Hopgood (32) drives between Fairhope (AL) guard Cooper Anderson (10) and Ansley Warner (11) during the West Harrison versus Fairhope (AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

It seemed a bit fitting that D’iberville followed West Harrison on to the hardwood Saturday afternoon in The Challenge, that’s because the Lady Warriors pulled the same sort of victorious doubleheader over the weekend as well. Not only did D’Iberville win by a dozen points on Saturday over Williamson, but on Friday night the Lady Warriors nipped visiting Ocean Springs 48-46 in Region 7-6A action to move to 3-0 in the league race also. It marked the second close win for the DHS girls over the Lady Greyhounds in 10 days, after the Lady Warriors won 46-42 on Jan. 3rd.
D’Iberville travels to arch-rival St. Martin Tuesday night in league play.
Pascagoula suffered the first loss of the day by the host state squads falling to Davidson by 13 points. However, the Lady Panthers were coming off of their first league win of the season after beating St. Martin 39-31 Friday night in Region 7-6A play.
Ocean Springs righted the ship for Team Mississippi with a 19-point thumping of Gulf Shores. Gulf Shores is already scheduled to host the second annual Mississippi/Alabama Challenge next year. Ocean Springs returns to Region 7-6A play on Tuesday hosting Pascagoula.
Moss Point joined its rival from the other side of Jefferson Street in falling on Saturday as the Lady Tigers dropped a 16-point decision to Theodore. The Lady Tigers also fell to Bay High 33-32 in region 8-4A play Friday night, dropping to 3-18 overall and 0-4 in league play.

January 14, 2023: West Harrison Sydnei Barber (5) takes the ball down the court as she is paced by Fairhope (AL) guard Cooper Anderson (10) during the West Harrison versus Fairhope (AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

January 14, 2023: West Harrison forward Miranda Parker (22) and Fairhope Ansley Warner (11) race to get to a loose ball during the West Harrison versus Fairhope (AL) varsity girls basketball game in the Inaugural Mississippi/ Alabama Challenge at Biloxi High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/228 Sports

The host team Biloxi wrapped up The Challenge with an exciting close win over Daphne to move to an impressive 18-3 on the season thanks to some late-game free throws by both Aaliyah Davison and Shaneal Corpuz. The winning effort helped the Lady Indians bounce back a bit from a close loss to arch-rival Gulfport earlier in the week in region 8-6A action.
Biloxi is set to host Hancock in a region rematch Tuesday night. The Lady Hawks handed the Lady Indians one of their trio of defeats to tip off league play last month, a 35-30 win for HHS.