Coast’s last chance for a Mississippi basketball state championship ends in overtime
Three MS Coast teams out of 10 were left standing when the dust of the quarterfinal round settled, but all three were denied entry to the championship game after each fell in the semifinals.
The Biloxi boys and girls and Pascagoula boys teams had short stays at the Big House in Jackson. Here were the scores from the semifinal contests.
Monday, Feb. 24
7A girls: Starkville 23, Biloxi 16
The Lady Indians appeared to be rolling after jumping out to an 11-1 lead following the first quarter. What followed was a defensive slugfest that saw Starkville slowly pull itself back into the contest. Biloxi failed to score a point in the third quarter as it melted clock and the Lady Jackets grabbed their first lead in the fourth.
Biloxi was outscored 22-5 over the last three quarters of the game.
7A boys: Germantown 55, Biloxi 30
Thursday, Feb. 27
6A boys: Ridgeland 70, Pascagoula 60 (OT)
Quarterfinal results
Thursday, Feb. 20
Raymond High School
3A Girls: Kemper County 43, St. Patrick 38
3A Boys: McLaurin 73, St. Stanislaus 55
Friday, Feb. 21
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
7A Girls: Northwest Rankin 68, St. Martin 46
Size from Northwest Rankin and self-inflicted wounds incurred by St. Martin led to the Cougars’ slow pull-away to open Friday’s games in Perkinston. Kylenn Ward led the Yellow Jackets with 20 points in the losing effort.
St. Martin’s season comes one game shy of Jackson a year after appearing in the Final Four.
7A Boys: Biloxi 65, Pearl 53
Biloxi turned a three-point halftime deficit into a runaway win by dominating the second half with 42 points against Pearl’s 27 over the final two quarters.
Kentrell Beasley and Alejandro Montalvo each had 15 points to lead the Indians. Head coach Seber Windham is making his 12th appearance in the Final Four across his coaching and playing career at Biloxi.
7A Girls: Biloxi 48, Brandon 29
The Indians were in full control for four quarters and captured another milestone in their revenge tour. Zaniya Johnson led all with 26 points, including 18 in the middle quarters.
Biloxi is heading to Jackson for the second time in three years.
Saturday, Feb. 22
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
6A Girls: Terry 36, Hancock 27
The Hawks were blanked in the second quarter and held to just five total points in the first half. Hancock stormed back in the third quarter but ran out of gas down the stretch.
Riley Bishop led the Hawks with eight points and two made threes.
6A Boys: Pascagoula 59, Terry 37
Pascagoula dominated the middle quarters of action to send itself to the Big House for the second year in a row. Kelan Rich poured in 23 points, 14 of which came in the first half. Blake Nettles added 16.
The Panthers will face Ridgeland in the semifinal round.
6A Girls: West Jones 51, West Harrison 44
The Lady Hurricanes held a slim lead at halftime and watched it swiftly disappear during a 22-point third quarter from West Jones. Sydnei Barber led West Harrison 17 points while Jaylynn Applewhite added 13.
6A Boys: Hattiesburg 45, West Harrison 38
West Harrison and Hattiesburg were rarely separated by more than a couple points until the Tigers went on a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter and held the Hurricanes at bay down the stretch.
Jamarcus McCalebb led West Harrison with nine points followed by Owen Reese’s eight points.
Pearl River Community College
4A Boys: Morton 38, Pass Christian 32
This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
