By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

ST. MARTIN —The Gulfport High boys basketball team reeled off 10 straight wins in non-region play to get its first season under new head coach Brian Butler off to a solid start.

Now, after Region 4-7A play began less than a week ago, it’s been more of the same for the Admirals.

Visiting Gulfport stormed into St. Martin Tuesday night and thumped the home-standing Yellow Jackets 71-43 to move to a perfect 12-0 mark under the new regime of Butler’s. The win followed up another comfortable win over Harrison Central 71-27 on Friday in the league opener for the Admirals.

“As a program, we feel the most important aspect of being 12-0 is earning the right to be 13-0,” Butler said.

St. Martin dropped to 11-4 overall with the loss, but is 0-2 in the region race after the Yellow Jackets tipped off league play Friday with a hard-fought 48-43 loss to Ocean Springs.

Morris Robertson, Jr., and Denzel Jackson paced Gulfport with 12 points apiece in the win, while Ladarius Johnson chipped in 11 points to the winning effort.

Tyson Walker and Terrance Allen had nine points apiece to lead SMHS Tuesday night.

“We lost to a very well coached and talented Gulfport team tonight,” veteran Yellow Jacket head coach Charlie Pavlus said. “We must get tougher mentally and physically to win in this district.”

Pavlus takes his Yellow Jackets team to Lyman Friday as St. Martin remains in region play with a trip to Harrison Central.

The Red Rebels are also 0-2 in the region race after a 74-47 loss to Biloxi on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, the SMHS girls made it a split of things in the region match-ups against Gulfport as they spanked the Lady Admirals 63-37. The Lady Yellow Jackets improved to 13-0 overall and 2-0 in the region race.

Kennedi Jenkins paced SMHS with 16 points, while Kylenn Ward finished up with 15 points and Yvette Nathan added 10 points to the inning effort.

The SMHS girls will also travel to Lyman Friday night to face the HCHS girls. Harrison Central is 1-1 in Region play after 67-33 loss to Biloxi. The Lady Indians are also 2-0 in league play along with St. Martin.