Sun Herald Top 10: Only the best teams will survive the week
High school basketball teams have been battling for position for nearly four months. This week all the head-to-head matchups will be put to the test as district tournaments open across the state Tuesday.
How do teams advance to the playoffs?
In 5A, 6A and 1A: The winner of the division tournament earns a first-round bye with the runner-up hosting and the third place team traveling. The fourth place team is eliminated.
In 2A, 3A and 4A: The participants in the championship will host first-round games, with the two consolation game teams traveling for the first round.
For several Coast programs, Tuesday’s district tournament opener will give them a sense of déjà vu.
Gulfport and Biloxi closed the regular season against one another Friday. All four teams will turn around and face one another in the Region 8-4A Tournament on Tuesday at Biloxi. Biloxi swept the region schedule against Gulfport, earning second seeds, with Gulfport finishing third.
“It’s so tough to beat a team three times during the year,” Biloxi boys coach Seber Windham said after Friday’s 46-39 victory. “We were able to do it last year against Harrison Central and then Gulfport did it to us. It’s going to be a hard-fought game. We just have to be up to the task Tuesday night.”
After being swept by the Indians for the first time in several seasons, Gulfport coach Owen Miller hopes the losses stick with his No. 8 Admirals (17-10). Perhaps the decisions will give them a chip on the shoulder ahead of Tuesday’s 8:30 p.m. showdown.
“That’s what you hope. You hope we will,” Miller said Friday night. “Now, whether we will or not, I wish I knew that.”
No. 4 Biloxi (21-5) won both games by a combined 11 points. Windham expects another close game Tuesday.
“Incredibly difficult, especially against a coach like Owen Miller,” Windham said. “He's going to make incredible adjustments. They're going to come back with a different game plan.”
Lady Indians vs. Lady Admirals
Like the boys’ games, the girls have played close all year. No. 7 Gulfport (15-12) claimed a 36-32 victory in its Thanksgiving tournament, but No. 2 Biloxi (20-8) swept the region series with a 40-38 win in January and Friday’s 46-42 victory.
“They’re going to come to play,” new Biloxi coach Devin Hill said. “They have lost the last two to us and I’m sure they feel like they probably could have won. We feel like we could have done better, too.”
Admittedly, Hill would rather play a different opponent instead of turning around and playing consecutive rivalry games against Gulfport. He won’t have that luxury, however, as the two will play at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
“Personally I don't like it but you play the game you're dealt,” Hill said. “I'm not one to back down from a challenge. We put ourselves in this situation when we didn't win the No. 1 seed, so you have to take it how it goes.
“We're in this hole and we're going to get out of it somehow.”
More tournaments
South Mississippi basketball courts will be busy this week with eight different region tournaments taking place Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
In addition to the Region 8-6A Tournament at Biloxi, other tournament sites are: Region 7-6A, George County; Region 8-5A, West Harrison; Region 7-5A, Pearl River Central; Region 8-4A, Vancleave; Region 8-3A, West Marion; Region 8-2A, Richton; Region 8-1A, Stringer
Sun Herald Boys Top 10
Team (PTS) | Record | PVS |
1. Bay (30) | 22-5 | 1 |
2. Pascagoula (27) | 21-6 | 2 |
3. Harrison Central (24) | 19-7 | 3 |
4. Biloxi (21) | 21-5 | 4 |
5. Picayune (18) | 20-7 | 5 |
6. George County (15) | 19-6 | 6 |
7. Pass Christian (12) | 19-7 | 7 |
8. Gulfport (9) | 17-10 | 8 |
9. Vancleave (5) | 17-10 | T9 |
10. Long Beach (4) | 11-12 | T9 |
Sun Herald Girls Top 10
Team (PTS) | Record | PVS |
1. Harrison Central (30) | 19-3 | 1 |
2. Biloxi (27) | 20-8 | 2 |
3. Pass Christian (23) | 18-10 | 4 |
4. St. Martin (22) | 16-11 | 3 |
5. Moss Point (17) | 17-8 | 6 |
6. Pascagoula (14) | 16-11 | T7 |
T7. Bay (10) | 16-9 | 5 |
T7. Gulfport (10) | 15-12 | T7 |
9. Ocean Springs (9) | 15-7 | 9 |
10. East Central (3) | 16-8 | 10 |
REGION TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES
Region 8-6A Tournament
Site: Biloxi
Tuesday’s games
4 p.m. — 2. Biloxi girls vs. 3. Gulfport
5:30 p.m. — 1. Harrison Central boys vs. 4. Hancock
7 p.m. — 1. Harrison Central girls vs. 4. Hancock
8:30 p.m. — 2. Biloxi boys vs. 3. Gulfport
Friday’s games
4 p.m. — Girls’ consolation game
5:30 p.m. — Boys’ consolation game
7 p.m. — Girls’ title game
8:30 p.m. — Boys’ title game
Region 7-6A Tournament
Site: George County
Tuesday’s games
4 p.m. — 1. St. Martin girls vs. 4. George County
5:30 p.m. — 2. D’Iberville boys vs. 3. Ocean SPrings
7 p.m. — 2. Ocean Springs girls vs. 3. D’Iberville girls
8:30 p.m. — 1. George County boys vs. 4. St Martin
Friday’s games
4 p.m. — Girls’ consolation game
5:30 p.m. — Boys’ consolation game
7 p.m. — Girls’ title game
8:30 p.m. — Boys’ title game
Region 8-5A Tournament
Site: West Harrison
Tuesday’s games
4 p.m. — 1. Pascagoula girls vs. 4. Long Beach
5:30 p.m. — 2. Long Beach boys vs. 3. West Harrison
7 p.m. — 2. West Harrison girls vs. No. 3 Gautier
8:30 p.m. — 1. Pascagoula boys vs. 4. Gautier
Thursday’s games
5 p.m. — Girls’ consolation game
6:30 p.m. — Boys’ consolation game
Friday’s games
6 p.m. — Girls title game
7:30 p.m. — Boys title game
Region 7-5A Tournament
Site: Pearl River Central
Tuesday’s games
4 p.m. — 1. Hattiesburg girls vs. 4. Pearl River Central
5:30 p.m. — 1. Picayune boys vs. 4. Pearl River Central
7 p.m. — 2. Picayune girls vs. 3. Stone
8:30 p.m. — 2. Hattiesburg boys vs. 3. Stone
Friday’s games
4 p.m. — Girls’ consolation game
5:30 p.m. — Boys’ consolation game
7 p.m. — Girls’ title game
8:30 p.m. — Boys’ title game
Region 8-4A Tournament
Site: Vancleave
Tuesday’s games
5 p.m. — 3. Vancleave boys vs. 6. St. Stanislaus
6:30 p.m. — 4. East Central girls vs. 5. Vancleave
8 p.m. — 4. East Central boys vs. 5. Moss Point
Thursday’s games
4 p.m. — 1. Pass Christian girls vs. Vancleave-East Central winner
5:30 p.m. — 1. Bay High boys vs. Moss Point-East Central winner
7 p.m. — 2. Moss Point girls vs. 3. Bay High
8:30 p.m. — 2. Pass Christian boys vs. Vancleave-SSC winner
Friday’s games
4 p.m. — Girls’ consolation game
5:30 p.m. — Boys’ consolation game
7 p.m. — Girls’ title game
8:30 p.m. — Boys’ title game
Region 8-3A
At West Marion
Tuesday’s games
4 p.m. — St. Patrick girls vs. Perry Central
5:30 p.m. — Perry Central vs. St. Patrick
7 p.m. — West Marion girls vs. Seminary
8:30 p.m. — Collins vs. West Marion
Thursday’s games
4 p.m. — Tylertown girls vs. West Marion-Seminary winner
5:30 p.m. — Tylertown vs. Perry Central-St Patrick winner
7 p.m. — Collins girls vs. St. Patrick-Perry Central winner
8:30 p.m. — Seminary vs. Collins-West Marion winner
Friday’s games
4 p.m. — Girls’ consolation game
5:30 p.m. — Boys’ consolation game
7 p.m. — Girls’ title game
8:30 p.m. — Boys’ title game
Region 8-2A
At Richton
Tuesday’s games
4 p.m. — North Forrest girls vs. Mize
7 p.m. — East Marion girls vs. Our Lady Academy
Thursday’s games
4 p.m. — Richton girls vs. East Marion-Our Lady Academy winner
7 p.m. — Taylorsville girls vs. North Forrest-Mize winner
Friday’s games
4 p.m. — Girls’ consolation game
7 p.m. — Girls’ title game
Region 8-1A
At Stringer
Tuesday’s games
4 p.m. — Piney Woods girls vs. Resurrection
5:30 p.m. — Lumberton vs. Resurrection
Thursday’s games
4 p.m. — Stringer girls vs. Piney Woods-Resurrection winner
5:30 p.m. — Piney Woods vs. Lumberton-Resurrection winner
7 p.m. — Sacred Heart girls vs. Lumberton
8:30 p.m. — Sacred heart vs. Stringer
Friday’s games
4 p.m. — Girls’ consolation game
5:30 p.m. — Boys’ consolation game
7 p.m. — Girls’ title game
8:30 p.m. — Boys’ title game
This story was originally published February 13, 2017 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Sun Herald Top 10: Only the best teams will survive the week."