By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

The state playoffs begin this week for any prep basketball players and teams that are left standing in the “Southern Six”. It’s go big or go home time for every squad from here on out.

Each week until the first weekend in March at the overall state tournament in Jackson, SouthMiss6 Sports will be the place to be to keep up with the most complete and comprehensive info about all things prep basketball featuring stories and photos in the “Southern Six” counties of the state of Mississippi.

Each week, on Monday, we will take a look at at least five players and five games to keep an eye on as well as release our weekly “Super 7 in the Southern 6 Poll”.

Starting 5 in the “Southern 6

This week’s “Starting 5 in the Southern 6” players list is comprised of some of the area standouts that came up big for their respective teams in the region tournament championship games on Friday. 

1. Kylenn Ward, St. Martin — The sophomore standout tallied a game-high 21 points, scoring half of her teams total, in a 42-34 upset of top seed Biloxi in the Region 4-7A girls’ title tilt.
2. Brooklyn Cuevas, Hancock — The super senior standout and William Carey signee poured in a game and career-high 34 points as she led her Lady Hawks to a perfect season in Region 4-6A with a 58-41 win over Pascagoula in the tourney title tilt.
3. Dorian McMillan, Pascagoula —  The senior standout shooting guard and Dandy Dozen selection paced the Panthers to a perfect mark in Region 4-6A play as he scored a game-high 16 points in a 62-49 win over Picayune in the tourney final.
4. Kiara Burney, Bay High —  The versatile senior guard helped lead the Lady Tigers to a perfect finish in Region 8-4A play with 17 points in a 45-20 win over Pass Christian in the tourney finals.
5.  Matt Krass, St. Patrick — The senior standout sharp-shooter guard tallied a game-high 21 points as the Fighting Irish took a 46-43 win to take the Region 8-3A tourney championship.
6. (Sixth Man) Brendan Necaise, Pass Christian — The senior forward scored a game-high 17 points to pace the Pirates to a perfect finish in Region 8-4A play with a 63-26 thumping of Greene County in the tourney finals.
7. (Honorable Mention) Shaun Murray, Harrison Central — The junior guard dropped in a game-high 22 points to pace the Red Rebels to the Region 4-7A title with a 65-45 win over home-standing Ocean Springs.

This Week’s Games:

1.  McComb at Bay High (girls) — Monday in the first round of the Class 4A South State playoffs.
2. Jackson Wingfield at Pass Christian (boys)— Tuesday in the first round of the Class 4A South State playoffs.
3. Pearl at St. Martin (girls) — Friday in the first round of the Class 7A South State playoffs.
4. West Jones at Hancock (girls) — Friday in the first round of the Class 6A South State playoffs.
5. West Jones at Pascagoula (boys) —Saturday in the first round of the Class 6A state playoffs.

South Miss 6 Sports Super 7 Polls

Super 7 in the Southern 6 Prep Hoops Poll!!!!

(Jan. 8th)

(Our weekly poll is the ONLY one in the state of Mississippi that’s voted on solely by a panel of head basketball coaches)

Boys:

1. Pascagoula 27-1
2. Harrison Central 22-8
3. Picayune 21-9
4. Biloxi 20-9
5. Pass Christian 22-7
6. Ocean Springs 19-8
7. West Harrison 17-11

Girls:

1. Hancock 26-1
2. Bay High 25-5
3. St Martin 23-7
4. Biloxi 25-5
5. Harrison Central 23-5
6. Pascagoula 15-10
7. St. Patrick 14-11