By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

GULFPORT — Region action opens for most of the prep boys basketball teams in the two largest classifications across the “Southern Six” Friday night.
In Region 4-7A, Gulfport hosts Harrison Central while St. Martin hosts Ocean Springs and Biloxi travels to D’Iberville.
The Admirals are off to a perfect 9-0 start so far under new head coach Brian Butler as they welcome in the Red Rebels to Bert Jenkins gym in the league opener for both teams.
Ironically enough, Gulfport is coming off of a 68-35 thumping of Port Gibson in Lyman at the annual Harrison Central Thanksgiving Shootout over the weekend.

Fifteen different players scored in the game for Gulfport, as Dillian McInnis led the Admirals with a team-high 12 points. Ten o those points came in the first period and included a pair of 3-pointers as GHS jumped out to a quick 28-9 lead entering the second period and the Admirals never looked back.

Travor frost chipped in nine points in the winning effort while C.J. Burnham added eight points.

The Red Rebels are coming off a tough test against visiting Pascagoula Tuesday night as the Panthers took a 74-42 win over HCHS.

Harrison Central stayed with the visiting Pascagoula Panthers early, but the Panthers went on a 15-7 run in the second quarter and didn’t let up as they kept it up from there on their way to the win over the Red Rebels.
Harrison Central trailed Pascagoula by eight at halftime (31-23). But the Panthers put up five unanswered points to open the third quarter as Justin Rogue hit his third three pointer of the night on their opening possession of the period, and Kelan Rich converted a steal on Harrison Central’s ensuing possession with a resounding dunk to give the Panthers their biggest lead – 13 points (36-23) – up to that point.
The Panthers led by 30 points (64-34), and had all the momentum with five minutes remaining in the game.
Roque and Rich led the Panthers with 14 points each, followed by Marcus Cooper with 12 points, and Blake Nettles and Queysean Taylor 11 points each.

Shaun Murray led Harrison Central with 14 points, and Hayden Boggs finished with 13 points.
Pascagoula moves to 7-1 with the win, and Harrison Central drops to 3-5 and travels to play an undefeat.
Over in Region 4-6A, Hancock heads to Lucedale to meet George County while Pascagoula visits Long Beach and West Harrison faces Picayune Friday night as well.