The Pascagoula Panthers and Lady Panthers remained perfect in Region 4-6A play Tuesday night with easy victories over visiting George County.
The Lady Panthers improved to 4-4 and 2-0 with a 37-13 win over the Lady Rebels (6-7, 0-2) while the top-ranked Panthers won their eighth consecutive game with a 64-21 rout against the Rebels (4-9, 0-2).
The Panthers are 9-1 and 2-0 heading into Friday night’s region matchup with Hancock.
In the girls game, George County’s Mikayla Jordan scored the game’s first basket to give the Lady Rebels their only lead as Pascagoula held George County scoreless the rest of the quarter and led 15-2.
Khyliyah Moore scored five points in the quarter to lead the Lady Panthers and she finished with nine.
George County used a strong defensive effort in the second quarter, holding the Lady Panthers to a Massyah Thomas basket in the last five seconds of the quarter. Still, Pascagoula was ahead 17-8 at halftime. Turnovers plagued both teams throughout the first half.
Pascagoula rebounded offensively in the third quarter behind Thomas, who scored eight of her team-leading 14 points in the quarter as the Lady Panthers extended their lead to 30-11.
Pascagoula continued to stifle the Lady Rebels defensively in the fourth quarter, holding them to two free throws by Delanie McNair to win comfortably.
McNair led the Lady Rebels with seven points, scoring all five of the team’s points in the second half.
The Lady Panthers face their toughest test of the season so far Friday night as the undefeated Hancock Lady Hawks come to the Panthers’ den.
George County faces three games in three days in the Richton Rotary Tournament beginning Thursday afternoon against Stone.
The boys game saw the high-flying Panthers come out hot as Dorion McMillan’s thunderous windmill dunk gave the home team a 7-0 lead and forced a quick George County timeout.
The Rebels got on the board with 4:37 left in the first quarter on a Jaylon Cowin free throw. The lead would grow to 14-1 before the Rebels closed the quarter on a 7-0 run to trail 14-8 after one quarter.
Pascagoula would not allow the Rebels to score for the next 12 minutes of the game. The Panthers outscored George County 15-0 in the second quarter and led 29-8 at the half. Kelon Rich led a balanced first-half attack with eight points while McMillan added seven and Markuese Grady six.
Brenn Moody’s putback with 4:10 left in the third quarter ended the scoring drought for the Rebels, but by the time the quarter ended, Pascagoula had exploded for 29 points in the period and led 58-15 heading into the final eight minutes of play.
Justin Roque hit four 3-pointers off the bench in the third quarter and ended the night leading the Panthers with 15 points. Rich also finished in double figures with 13 points as nine different Panthers scored in the game.
Marlin Odom led the Rebels with seven points, all coming in the second half. Odom picked up three fouls in the first quarter and his fourth 20 seconds into the third quarter and was never a factor in the game.
Moody added six for the Rebels, who take on rival Greene County on Thursday afternoon in Richton.
The Panthers put their winning streak on the line again Friday night when they host Hancock.
