By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

GULF SHORES, Ala.— Five “Southern Six” girls’ prep basketball squads are heading across the state line for a big showdown with some Alabama counterparts on Saturday.
The “Alabama/Mississippi Challenge’ is taking place at Gulf Shores High School and Biloxi, Moss Point, Pascagoula, Bay High and Hancock are all taking place in the five-game affair.

The action tips off at 1 p.m., on two separate courts, as Pascagoula takes on the host Lady Dolphins on “The Tank” and Biloxi faces McGill-Toolen out of Mobile on “The Wave”.
Following those two games are two more in the same spots, as Hancock meets Davidson High of Mobile at 2:30 on “The Tank” and Bay High takes on Fairhope on “The Wave”.
Then, wrapping up the event, Moss Point meets UMS-Wright of Mobile on “The Tank” at 4:30.
The event features some powerful teams, as Hancock and Biloxi are both ranked highly in Mississippi Polls as is all five Alabama teams in Gulf Shores, Davidson and Fairhope.
Hancock sits at 18-1 entering Friday night’s Region 4-6A game with visiting West Harrison. West Harrison will be in action in the Gulfport “Girls Grind MLK Classic” on Saturday.

Biloxi sits at 17-2 as they entertain arch-rival Gulfport Friday night in Region 4-7A action.
Meanwhile, Bay High hosts Moss Point Friday night in the Tigerddome before both bands of Lady Tigers head to the beach Saturday, and Pascagoula i hosting Picayune in Region 4-6A play Friday night as well.
Gulf Shores (18-5) is ranked fourth in Class 5A in the latest statewide poll by the Alabama Sportswriters Association, while McGill-Toolen (14-7) is 10th in the Class 6A poll.
In Class 7A, Davidson (17-5) is sixth and Fairhope (12-9) is 13th. In Class 4A, UMS-Wright (16-6) is ranked 10th.
Yet another “Southern Six” girls squad will be in action on Monday also.

The St. Martin girls under the direction of second-year head coach Jason Kennedy will travel to Pensacola, Fla., on MLK Day to participate in the 8th annual West Florida High School Gulf Coast Dreamkeepers Showcase at West Florida High School. Gulf Shores will also be a part of that event, which features four girls’ games.
St. Martin takes on Pensacola High at 1:30.
The Lady Yellow Jackets stand 14-5 entering Friday’s Region 4-7A game at D’Iberville.