By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

GULFPORT — The Gulfport Admirals held on to squeak past the Hancock Hawks 60-54 on Thursday evening. With the win the Admirals improve to 17-1 headed into a home game against Picayune on Friday.

Gulfport led by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, but Hancock chiseled at the at that lead in the third quarter, getting within 9 points. That was until senior guard Jude Ulrich capitalized on a Gulfport turnover and sank a 3-pointer with a single tick remaining on the third quarter clock.

The Hawks trailed the Admirals 41-33 to open the fourth quarter after outscoring the Admirals 12-8 in the third quarter. The Hawks would also outscore the Admirals in the final period 21-19, but the Admirals’ first half performance (20-11 lead at halftime) was enough to secure the win.

“Our group is talented enough; our group is aggressive enough; and our group is good enough that we shouldn’t have days like this,” said Gulfport coach Brian Butler. “It’s one of those things where another team has found a chink in the armor, so to speak, and now we’ve seen ourselves vulnerable, and now we’re struggling.”

The Hawks would pull within four points of the Admirals on a 7-1 run with just under three and a half minutes remaining in the game. Junior Kaison Koenenn sank all 7 points for the Hawks on the run, first a 3-pointer to pull within seven (45-38), then on a layup following an Admiral turnover to pull within five (45-40). He closed out the run sinking two free throws, and the Hawks trailed 42-46.

Gulfport would respond with a 14-12 run, scoring on six layups and two free throws the rest of the way with junior Cameron Morris leading the way for the Admirals, scoring on three drives. Dillon McInnis scored on two drives to the basket. Brown would also sink two free throws on the run. Travor Frost closed out the Admirals’ scoring with a layup in the half-court offense to give them a 60-51 lead with 30 seconds left.

Hancock senior Malachi Lightell would close out the Hawks’ scoring with a 3-pointer.

“Very proud of the resiliency of this group,” said Hawks’ coach Conner Entriken. “Felt like a couple of times it could’ve got away from us, and every time we answered the run. End of the day, too many turnovers and they made the plays down the stretch to pull it out.”

Frost led Gulfport scoring with 13 points, followed by Morris Robertson with 11 points, Ladarius Johnson with 9 points, and Morris with 8 points (all in the fourth quarter).

Lightell led Hancock with 19 points, followed by Koenenn with 13 points, Ulrich with 10 points, and Jaden Lee with 9 points.

Gulfport will resume play on Friday against Picayune in Gulfport. Hancock (7-11) travels to Pascagoula to face Greene County on Saturday afternoon in the annual “Panther Classic”.