By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

GULFPORT — The first loss of the season for Gulfport continued a 12-year drought.

Starkville closed out the “Admiral Holiday Club Holiday Classic” on a 20-6 run to blow past the host Admirals on their way to a 65-48 championship win in the finals on Saturday night.

Gulfport trailed by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, but the Admirals pulled within three points of the Yellow Jackets late in the third quarter at 45-42. But a costly Gulfport turnover on a steal opened the Yellow Jackets run as Jaden Tate converted the turnover into a resounding slam dunk which fired up the visitors and put an end to the Gulfport momentum.

The loss was the first of the season for the Admirals under new head coach Brian Butler who had increased their win streak to 16 wins with victories on Thursday and Friday in the annual affair. Starkville moves to 16-3 with the win.

It marked the second ever championship win for the Yellow Jackets in this 41-year old event, as they celebrated the 30th anniversary of their first title in 1994. Ironically enough, Starkville also beat a then unbeaten Harrison County team in that win with a thrilling 75-73 win over Harrison Central.

Gulfport hasn’t won its own holiday tournament in 12 years, since 2012.

The Admirals ended the first quarter with a two-point lead (16-14), and they outscored the visitors in two quarters. But the fourth quarter was all Starkville, which improved to 13 games above .500 for the first time this season.

“They had our number tonight,” said Gulfport coach Brian Butler. “They are a very good basketball team. They shot the ball extremely well, extremely well.

“They are very well coached, they are very structured,” added Butler. “We fought them hard, but we just couldn’t come up with it.”

Gulfport trailed 40-27 with 4:50 left in the third quarter when Ladarius Johnson sank a 3-pointer to begin the Admirals last run. Starkville responded with a Charles Burdette 3-pointer, but Gulfport would respond with 8 unanswered points, scoring on three layups in their half court offense, the first by Johnson, followed by two by Christopher Burnham.

Samuel Stewart closed out that 8-point span with a 10-foot jumper to put the Admirals within five of the Yellow Jackets at 43-38.

Tate responded with another dunk for the Yellow Jackets, but Burnham would answer for the Admirals with a layup to close the gap again to 5 points (45-40).

The Admirals tightened their defense on the Yellow Jackets on their ensuing possession, and Morris Robertson would get a steal and finish with a rousing dunk to raise the hopes of the Admirals as they pulled within three with 30 seconds left in the third quarter (45-42).

Starkville sophomore Kobe Hendrix would put on a dunk show in the closing minutes of the contest as he scored the last six points for the Yellow Jackets on three spectacular flashing dunks.

“The third game in three days, so we were kind of curious to see how they would respond, but being in a championship atmosphere, I think they were ready to hit the ground running,” said Starkville coach Anthony Carlyle.

“Our district is one of the toughest in the state; that’s the hard part of being in the north. We have four teams that are worthy, but only two can come out,” said Carlyle. “I think with that tough schedule during district play, if we’re able to get out, I think that’ll make us an even better ball club.”

Starkville was led by Tate with 20 points, and T.J. Warren who finished with 14 points.

Robertson led Gulfport with 15 points. Denzel Jackson and Travor Frost each scored 9 points for the Admirals.

Gulfport will resume play on Thursday hosting Hancock. Starkville will host Germantown on Friday.