By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

BILOXI — The Region 4-7A boys’ standings week re-shaped over the past week, and now there’s a new leader in the clubhouse for the first time this season.
The Biloxi Indians took their second league win in a three day span and vaulted to the top of the standings with a 67-52 win over arch-rival Gulfport at The Biloxi Sports Arena on Friday night. The win pushes the Indians to a modest 15-5 overall, but more importantly veteran head coach Seber Windham’s crew stands 4-1 in the region race and settles atop the atop the league pecking order.
Biloxi is the defending Region 8-6A champs, before all six members of the league this season were elevated to the new Class 7A.

In their latest win, the Indians got a tough battle with the visiting Admirals in the first half and trailed 34-32 at halftime.
Gulfport was coming off of its second region win with a one-point upset of Ocean Springs at home earlier in the week and continued that momentum into the first half on the road against Biloxi. The Admirals led by as many as five, at 34-29, late in the second quarter before Biloxi’s Reggie Conner drained a 3-pointer in the waning seconds to pull the Indians to the two-point intermission deficit.
The second half was a different story. Trailing 41-40, Biloxi used a 13-3 run to close the third frame and take a 53-44 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Biloxi remained in control throughout the rest of the game by keeping the Admirals at bay outscoring them 14-8 thanks to several baskets from Dayshawn Mcgee.
Conner out-dueled Gulfport’s Amir Abdul Rauf in the win, as the Biloxi guard poured in a game-high 30 points while Mcgee chipped in 17 points to the winning effort.
Rauf paced Gulfport with 22 points, as the Admirals fell to 7-12 overall and 2-3 in the region race.

Technically, Biloxi sits in a tie with Harrison Central atop the Region 4-7A standings each at 4-1. But, the Indians would get the top seed if the league tourney started this week thanks to a 53-39 win over the Red Rebels a month ago. The two teams renew acquaintances Tuesday night in Biloxi.
Harrison Central kept pace with a close 73-69 comeback road win at Ocean Springs Friday night. It was the second straight league loss for the Greyhounds, knocking them out of first place for the first time this season.
The Greyhounds doubled up HCHS in the first quarter, getting five 3-pointers from five different players in the period to take a 24-12 lead into the second stanza.
Ocean Springs got 11 points from Maddox Noblitt, and dominated the first half taking a 41-30 lead into halftime.

However, Harrison Central turned the game completely around in the third frame. Senior shooting guard Aujaylen Barron, who has been on a roll of late, showed Ocean Springs exactly why as he posted 18 points in the third quarter including four 3-pointers. The scoring outburst helped the Red Rebels outscore the Greyhounds 26-11 in the period and take a 56-52 lead into the fourth quarter.
Barron added 10 more points in the final frame, including making six free throws, as the Red Rebels held on for the win.
Barron never left the court all night and finished with a game-high 34 points for HCHS, while Shaun Murray chipped in 15 points to the winning cause. Mickey Duckworth pulled down nine rebounds for the Red Rebels while Nehemiah Barnett had five assists.
Noblitt guided the Greyhounds with 16 points, while Kaleb Bradley added 13 points and Eli Isom added 12 points as OSHS fell to 13-5 overall and 3-2 in league play with its third loss in the past four games.

Also, in D’Iberville Friday night, the home-standing Warriors beat St. Martin 48-40. The win pushed DHS to 8-13 overall and 2-3 in Region 4-7A.
Juan Santiago led the Warriors to the win with 20 points, including five 3-pointers, while Javontae Carter and Savion Jasper added seven points apiece to the winning effort.
Kai Vierra led the Yellow Jackets with 10 points and Ty’Lah Whitlock added nine points as St. Martin dropped to 3-16 overall and remained winless at 0-5 in league play.
Ocean Springs hosts D’Iberville on Tuesday while St. Martin hosts Gulfport.