By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PASCAGOULA — Even after setting a school record last year with 29 wins and finishing a sparkling 29-2, there was one thing the Pascagoula boys basketball team did not accomplish last season.
And that’s getting off to a perfect 4-0 start. But that’s exactly what the Panthers can do with a win over visiting Ocean Springs Thursday night.
Pascagoula sits at 3-0 overall after a win Tuesday night over Tylertown. The Panthers also have wins over Biloxi last week to open the season and then beat Ridgeland over the weekend in Madison at the annual “The Jump” Tournament.

“We’re just trying to be 1-0 after every game just like last year,” PHS head coach Lorenzo Wright said recently. “We are focused on getting one percent better every day.”
Senior Blake Nettles was one of just two returning starters from last year’s PHS squad, and he has really stepped up in early part of the new campaign as he tallied a game-high 17 points in Tuesday’s 57-30 win over the visiting Chiefs. He and Moss Point transfer Quey’Sean Taylor each had five rebounds apiece, while Kelan Rich added 10 points and six assists. Rich is the other returning starter this year for PHS
After nipping Biloxi on the road 61-59 last week in the season opener, the Panthers head to Madison Saturday and slipped past the Titans 60-58. The win gave PHS a measure of revenge over RHS after the Titans eliminated the Panthers in last year’s Class 6A overall state semifinal round in Jackson and snapped their 29 game winning streak.

In that close win, Nettles poured in a game-high 25 points, while Taylor posted a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds and Rich dished out four assists.
Ocean Springs also competed in “The Jump” and the Greyhounds fell to Yazoo City 74-51. Ocean Springs is 1-1 overall.
Thursday’s contest will pit Greyhound senior shooting guard Maddox Noblitt up against Nettles.

The evening will tip off with the PHS girls host OSHS as well.
The Lady Greyhounds are also off to an early unbeaten start at 2-0. That win total matches the total amount of wins from all of last season for the OSHS girls.
The Lady Greyhounds are coming off a big 55-34 win over host Pass Christian in the annual PCHS Tip-Off Tournament Saturday.
The Lady Panthers are 1-1 overall but also coming off a win in their latest outing with a 51-37 win over Tylertown Tuesday.