By SAM STAFF/Sports Writer

LAUREL — The Gautier boys basketball team is fighting for one of the top two seeds in the upcoming Region 4-5A Tournament.

The Gators went on the road Friday night and fell to league-leading Laurel 62-47. The decision moves the perennial state power Golden Tornadoes to a perfect 6-0 in the region race and drops Gautier to the third spot at 5-2.

The win completed a clean season sweep for Laurel over Gautier after the visiting Golden Tornadoes slipped out of Jackson County with a close 53-50 win a little over a month ago in what was the closest region contest for LHS this season.

Gautier is 13-10 overall, and the Gators are a half game behind Wayne County in the Region 4-5A standings as the War Eagles sit at 6-2. However, one of those Wayne County losses in league play came at the hands of Gautier at home in a 47-46 Gator win last week.

Those two teams face off again next week on Friday in Gautier with the number two seed in the upcoming region tourney on the line.

The top two teams in the loop at the end of the regular season earn automatic byes in the opening round of the league tourney and are also already assured of berths in the Class 5A South State playoffs even before the postseason begins.

Before Gautier faces Wayne County at home next week, the Gators are slated to travel to Vancleave for a region encounter Tuesday.

The Region 4-5A Tournament is slated to be played at Stone High the first full week of next month.

Gautier has won 13 out of its past 19 games since starting the season off at 0-4.

In the loss to Laurel Friday night, the Gators led 18-11 after the first quarter thanks to an explosive start by guard Tristan Street who drained a trio of 3-pointers for nine points.

But the Golden Tornadoes turned up the defensive pressure in the second quarter and limited Gautier to just two points and grabbed a 25-20 advantage at halftime due to eight points in the period by Zadrian McCormick as Laurel out-scored the Gators 14-2 and turned the game around.

It was just more of the same from the home team in the second half as Laurel moved to 14-8 overall.

Jaden Banks paced Gautier with 13 points, while Street added 12 points and Tyrek High chipped in 11 points for the Gators.

McCormick, a 6-foot-5 sophomore center, poured in a game-high 20 points to guide the Golden Tornadoes to the win.