By CURTIS ROCKWELL

PICAYUNE — Gulfport has gotten off to a bit of a sluggish start so far this season under new head coach Steve Hesser.
But the Admirals looked in fine form Friday night in their last game before the Christmas break.
Gulfport went on the road and snapped Picayune’s five-game win streak with a 50-40 win in Kelly Wise Memorial Gymnasium. The win moves the Admirals to 6-7 overall on the season, while Picayune falls to 12-3. The Maroon Tide not only had won five straight games but also had won 11 out of their past 12 contests as well.
Gulfport led throughout most of the last three quarters, but Picayune cut the Admiral lead to just two points at 41-39 mid-way through the final frame on a 3-pointer by Darrell Smith. But from that point, Gulfport and senior standout guard Amir Abdul Rauf took over closing the game on a 9-1 run to wrap up the win.
Rauf, who scored 11 points in the first half, responded to Smith’s trey with one of his own just seconds later to make the lead 44-39. He then followed that up on his next trip down the court with a long-range jump shot for two points, and suddenly Picayune saw its chances slipping away down 46-39 with 2:31 to play.

Christopher Burnham slipped inside past the Maroon Tide defense for a lay-up a minute later to make the lead 48-40, and Arjae Robinson completed the scoring with two free throws with 36 seconds to play for the final count. “We’re really young and inexperienced. But they’re learning and growing every day. We’ve just got a long way to go.” Hesser said recently.
Rauf had 11 points in the first half, including 10 straight points on five consecutive baskets in the second stanza, as Gulfport overcame an 8-6 deficit after the opening quarter to take a 36-28 lead into halftime.
And although the son of former Gulfport Prep All-American Mahmoud Abdul Rauf (the former Chris Jackson) scored didn’t score as many points in the second half, he made those points count down the stretch.

Rauf led the Adirals with a game-high 19 points, while Arjae Robinson added nine points and five rebounds to the winning effort. Burnham came off the bench to finish with eight points, including six in the fourth period.
Smith was the only Picayune player in double digits, as he had 12 points while Kelton Stewart had eight points.
Gulfport was coming off a loss to Petal on the road Tuesday, while Picayune beat Forrest County AHS at home on the same night.