By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

OCEAN SPRINGS — Just minutes after a third seed upset a top seed to win the first-ever girls’ Region 4-7A Tournament championship, the same scenario could have repeated itself as the boys took the court.
It didn’t.
Number one seed Harrison Central captured the inaugural title on the boys’ side of the bracket, thumping home-standing Ocean Springs 65-45 Friday night to wrap up the four-day affair. The win marked the 10th straight league win for veteran head coach Boo Hardy’s squad after they started the region race at 1-1.
Despite the loss, both OSHS and HCHS will tip off the upcoming Class 7A South State playoffs at home next weekend.

The Red Rebels never allowed the third-seeded Greyhounds to conjure up thoughts of a second consecutive upset in the championship round, jumping out to a quick double-digit lead at the end of the opening period at 15-5. Senior sharp-shooter Aujaylen Barron put in five points from his shooting guard spot, including a 3-pointer, to help get the Red Rebels off to the fast start.
It was more of the same in the second stanza, as Shaun Murray scored seven points and Barron added six points including a trey from both and HCHS out-raced the Greyhounds 19-6 in the period to take a commanding 34-11 advantage into halftime.
The Red Rebels never looked back.

Murray paced HCHS with a game-high 22 points in the winning effort, while Barron chipped in 13 points and three assists and Mickey Duckworth had eight points and nine rebounds. Jashun McMillan grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds.
The Red Rebels have won nine games in a row and 16 out of its past 17 contests since dropping their only region loss to Biloxi in mid-December.
Senior point guard Elijah Isom and his backcourt mate junior shooting guard Maddox Noblitt led the Greyhounds with 14 points apiece, and Christian Bingham added eight points in the loss as OSHS fell to 19-8 overall.

On Thursday, in the boys’ consolation contest, Biloxi took the third seed with a comfortable 65-50 win over arch-rival Gulfport. It marked the third win over the Admirals for the Indians this season.
The Biloxi guard combo of Reggie Conner and Dayshawn Mcgee was just to much for Gulfport to handle, as Conner tallied a game-high 22 points and Mcgee chipped in 21 points to the winning effort. Bryce Hooker added nine points and Carlos Robinson had eight points.
Amir Abdul Rauf led Gulfport with 20 points, while Tavarus Brown and Denzel Jackson added eight points apiece for the Admirals.
In the opening round of the Class 7A South State playoffs, Harrison Central hosts Northwest Rankin and Pearl travels to Ocean Springs while Biloxi heads to Brandon and Gulfport travels to Meridian.