By SAM STAFF/Sports Writer

LUCEDALE — The West Harrison boys stayed neck-and-neck with defending champ Pascagoula atop the Region 4-6A race slipping past George County 65-57 Monday night.
The Hurricanes, under the direction of former Mississippi State standout Jeff Norwood, moved to 8-8 overall and a perfect 3-0 in league with the win while the Rebels drop to 0-3 in region play.
West Harrison is knotted with the Panthers atop the league standings after Pascagoula moved to 3-0 as well with when PHS knocked off both George County and Hancock last week.

The Hurricanes had a seemingly comfortable 50-35 lead at the end of the third period and held on to withstand a furious rally by the Rebels in the final frame to secure the win.
West Harrison jumped out to a commanding 22-6 lead after the first quarter, as standout big man Jazear Carter posted 10 points in the period on three buckets inside and four free throws. Carter’s partner in the paint Keshawn Cook had six points in the opening frame as well.

Owen Reese drained a pair of 3-pointers in the second stanza for the Hurricanes, which helped WHHS maintain its lead despite George County cutting the deficit to single digits at 34-26 heading into halftime despite Rebel sophomore Jeremiah Bolton’s 11-point outburst in the stanza that included a pair of treys of his own.
Bolton added yet another 3-pointer in the third frame, but Carter went back to work and registered seven points as WHHS stretched its lead back to double digits at that aforementioned 50-35 advantage entering the final period.

LaTaurus Bradley caught fire in the Rebel rally with four treys and an old-fashioned three point play down the stretch for 15 fourth quarter points, but West Harrison converted 13-out-of-18 free throws including seven-of- eight attempts by Carter to close out the contest and seal the win.
Carter poured in a game-high 26 points to lead the Hurricanes, while Reese chipped in 13 points and Cook nine points to the winning effort.
Bradley guided the Rebels with 24 points while Jeremiah Bolton added 17 points for GCHS.

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