By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

LYMAN — Regular season play in Region 4-7A reached the halfway mark on the schedule for all six squads Friday night.

And, after an up-and-down start to league play, the Ocean Springs boys have managed to move back above the .500 mark as the home stretch starts.

The Greyhounds under second-year head coach Collin Goley slipped past home-standing Harrison Central 51-49 Friday night is a crucial contest for OSHS. The win snapped a four game losing streak for Goley’s crew, and moved them to 3-2 in the region race and 9-10 overall. The Red Rebels drop to 0-5 in league play and sit at 7-12 overall.

“I’m pleased with where we are, we still control our own destiny having to play each team again one more time,” Goley said. “We just have to take it one day at time and continue to get better.”

With Ocean Springs up 50-48 with just seven seconds to play, the Greyhounds fouled Red Rebel senior sharp-shooter Shaun Murray on a 3-point attempt.

Murray, however, made just one-of-three attempts from the free throw line in a sequence that could have given the home team the lead.

Now ahead by just one point at 50-49, Christian Cowan of OSHS was fouled in the aftermath and he sank one of two free throws resulting in the final score.

A last-second heave from mid-court by HCHS as the clock sounded that missed the mark secured the win for the Greyhounds.

Greyhound Dandy Dozen senior standout Maddox Noblitt poured in a game-high 24 points to lead OSHS to the win, while Cowan added 10 points to the winning cause. Noblitt also had eight rebounds, four steals and three assists in an impressive overall performance, while Easton Bahr dished out a trio of assists as well.

Murray paced the Red Rebels with 17 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, and five rebounds. Nehemiah Barnett added 15 points and five rebounds, while Karmelo Laneaux grabbed five boards also and Jordan Beard had three steals.

Both teams jump right back into league play next week as Harrison Central hosts Biloxi on Tuesday night in Region 4-7A play, while the Greyhounds stay on the road and head to D’Iberville on the same day.