By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

THEODORE, Ala. — Things are looking a little brighter for the Ocean Springs boys basketball team just a couple of days before Christmas than they did a week ago.

The Greyhounds snapped a brief three game losing streak by piking up a pair of wins over the weekend in the annual Theodore Pre-Christmas Tournament. The two road wins push OSHS back above the .500 mark on the season at 7-6 overall, and came on the heels of a 77-59 home loss to Pass Christian one week ago that extended that aforementioned losing streak to three.

“Our goal is to be the best team we can be and that’s by playing the best teams,” Greyhound head coach Collin Goley, who is in his second season at the helm of his alma mater, said. “I think our schedule reflects that. We’ve played the best teams in the state and outside our state. We’re battle tested. We’re 2-1 in district and that’s what really matters.”

Ocean Springs started the weekend off on Friday afternoon with a comfortable 53-30 win over Mobile Blount in the tournament. Jayvon Williams paced OSHS in that game with 11 points.

But on Saturday, the host Theodore proved to be a much more formidable foe for the Greyhounds in a closely contested 60-58 decision.

The Bobcats came into their own invitational affair on a two game win streak, but they lost to Birmingham Minor 69-62 on Friday night. Saturday’s tourney finale between OSHS and THS quickly turned into a shootout between standout senior shooting guards in Greyhound Maddox Noblitt and Bobcat Houston Cunningham.

Both Noblitt and Cunningham tallied 19 first half points apiece, as the home team slipped in front 32-29 at halftime thanks to five free throws and nine points from Cunningham in the second stanza. Noblitt countered with 13 points in the frame to keep things close, including opening the quarter with a trio of 3-pointers.

Both sharp-shooters cooled off a bit in the third quarter, but a trey by Cunningham allowed the Bobcats to maintain that three-point advantage at 48-45 entering the final period.

The Greyhounds turned up the heat defensively down the stretch, and Nobiltt heated up again with nine more points including two more 3-pointers as Ocean Springs pulled out the two point win at 60-58.

Noblitt, the 6-foot-3 senior Dandy Dozen selection, poured in a career-high 32 points in the win, including the five treys. Jeremie Packer added nine points for OSHS.

Cunningham’s game-high 33 points were overshadowed just a bit in a losing effort. He scored nine of the 10 Bobcat points in the fourth period.

Ocean Springs now has a few days off for the holiday before heading to Bert Jenkins Gym in Gulfport the day after Christmas to take part in the annual “Hardwood Club Holiday Classic” beginning Thursday afternoon.

“We’re 7-6 heading into the Gulfport Christmas tournament and I’m confident our team is ready for any and all challenges ahead,” Goley concluded. “We went through a tough stretch of games and learned a lot and we grew from that getting two great wins in the Theodore Pre Christmas Tournament. I’m excited to see our guys perform in the second part of the year.”