By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

JACKSON — While it was an historic season on the hardwood for the Pascagoula basketball team, a former Panther head coach has a chance to accomplish something for the second time Saturday night since leaving PHS eight years ago. 

When Meridian takes on Clinton for the first-ever Class 7A boys state championship here at 8 p.m., in The Mississippi Coliseum, eighth-year Wildcats head coach Ron Norman will be leading MHS onto the court. Norman has his squad back in the state title tile for the second time under his tutelage, and it’s the first time playing for all the marbles since winning it all in 2017.

That season, his first at the helm of the Wildcats, Meridian went an impressive 30-2 overall and knocked off perennial state power Jackson Murrah 68-59 in the Class 6A state championship game.

The Wildcats held off Germantown 41-31 in the Final Four Semifinal Round of the MHSAA Boys Class 7A basketball playoffs at the Mississippi Coliseum on Thursday afternoon, just about 18 hours after Pascagoula’s season came to an end in disappointing fashion with the Panthers failing yet again in their quest to capture their first ever Gold Ball in school history.

“I’m so proud of how our guys persevered and kept fighting,” Norman said, after the win. “They jumped on us early and we tied it up. After the second quarter are guys settled down. Our senior guards stepped up and took over. They are small in stator but tough as nails.”

That backcourt duo he was speaking of was D.J. Johnson and J.R. Yarbrough. Johnson had 13 points to lead Meridian, while Yarbrough added 12 points for the Wildcats.

Meridian stands 23-9 entering Saturday night’s title tilt, while Clinton is 23-6. By the way, Pascagoula handed the Wildcats one of their nine losses on the season with a 73-61 road decision in early December.

Norman spent three seasons in charge at PHS. Norman, who came to Pascagoula in 2013 after an extremely successful career at Wayne County High School, continued that success at PHS. He guided the Panthers to a 24-5 mark in 2016, his final season there, and was an impressive 68-25 in three seasons at the helm of the Panthers. His squads won three straight Region 7-5A crowns, and made three consecutive trips to the overall Class 5A State Tournament.

Norman also won the 5A state championship in 2011 with the War Eagles.

Since taking over in Meridian before the 2016-17 season started, he has gone 178-43 to date. His best year record-wise with MHS came in 2018, the year following the last Wildcat state title, when they went 32-2.

Here is the complete and updated state tournament schedule:

SEMIFINAL ROUND

At Mississippi Coliseum, Jackson

Monday’s Scores

CLASS 1A

Girls

Blue Mountain 69, South Delta 43

Lumberton 34, Biggersville 33

Boys

Biggersville 72, South Delta 48

McAdams 51, Byers 46

CLASS 3A

Girls

Boonville 58, Port Gibson 28

Belmont 59, Jefferson Davis County 37

Boys

Booneville 49, Port Gibson 38

Coahoma County 52, Magee 46

Tuesday’s Scores

CLASS 2A

Girls

New Site 60, Bay Springs 47

Ingomar 61, Heidelberg 52

Boys

Bogue Chitto 53, New Site 50

Ingomar 61, Bay Springs 45

CLASS 5A

Girls

Canton 52, Florence 38

Laurel 53, Pontotoc 47

Boys

Yazoo City 56, Provine 41

Canton 64, Wayne County 44

Wednesday’s Scores

CLASS 4A

Girls

Tishomingo County 37, Quitman 34

Morton 47, Choctaw Central 40 (OT)

Boys

McComb 57, Greenwood 49

Raymond 66, Choctaw Central 53

CLASS 6A

Girls

Terry 46, South Panola 37

Neshoba Central 48, Hancock 30

Boys

Olive Branch 70, Terry 68 (OT)

Ridgeland 48, Pascagoula 42

Thursday’s Scores

CLASS 7A

Girls

Tupelo 54, Northwest Rankin 48

Germantown 50, St. Martin 43

Boys

Meridian 41, Germantown 31

Clinton 64, Brandon 54

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Thursday’s Scores

CLASS 1A

Girls

Blue Mountain 38, Lumberton 36

Boys

Biggersville 45, McAdams 41

Friday’s Scores

CLASS 3A

Girls

Belmont 40, Booneville 39

Boys

Booneville 46, Coahoma County 43 (OT)

CLASS 2A

Girls

Ingomar 57, New Site 40

Boys

Ingomar 48, Bogue Chitto 46

CLASS 5A

Girls

Laurel 40, Canton 32

Boys

Canton 58, Yazoo City 40

Saturday

CLASS 4A

Girls

10 a.m. — Tishomingo County (29-3) vs. Morton (29-2)

Boys

Noon — McComb (21-8) vs. Raymond (27-6)

CLASS 6A

Girls

2 p.m. — Terry (25-6) vs. Neshoba Central (31-1)

Boys

4 p.m. — Olive Branch (28-4) vs. Ridgeland (24-9)

CLASS 7A

Girls

6 p.m. — Tupelo (19-10) vs. Germantown (23-9)

Boys

8 p.m. — Meridian (23-9) vs. Clinton (23-6)