By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

GULFPORT — A pair of western Jackson County boy’s prep basketball teams secured spots in the upcoming Class 7A South State playoffs on Monday both in exciting fashion.

Ocean Springs nipped Harrison Central 57-54 and St. Martin slipped past D’Iberville 55-48 in opening day action at the Region 4-7A Tournament here at Bert Jenkins Gym on the campus of Gulfport High.

The wins pushes both the Greyhounds and their long-time arch-rivals and neighboring Yellow Jackets into the semifinal round of the annual affair on Tuesday as well as securing state playoff berths for each as well.

“I’m extremely proud of our guys for gutting it out and finding a way to win,” OSHS second year head coach Colin Goley, whose team came into the event as the third seed, said. “As a coach, I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys who believe in me and each other. Harrison Central was the most dangerous six seed in the state. They came out and punched us in the mouth and we responded. We just stayed together and kept fighting. It means everything getting back to the playoffs. I’m so happy for our guys they’ve earned it. But our focus is on Biloxi now.”

Nolan Wells tallied a game-high 24 points to pace OSHS to the win, including 11 points in the second half as the Greyhounds rallied to take the win after trailing 48-44 entering the fourth and final period.

Wells sank three out of four three throws down the stretch, while both Maddox Noblitt and Jayvon Williams each drained a 3-pointer apiece in the all-important final frame for OSHS.

In addition to the 24-points by Wells, Jacolby Bailey chipped in 13 points to the winning Greyhound cause including a trio of treys while Noblitt added 10 points in his return from a two game suspension.

Red Rebel center Shaun Murray had 17 points for HCHS, and point guard Nehemiah Barnett added 13 points in what was the final game of the season for their squad. However, OSHS held Murray scoreless in the fourth period and limited Barnett to just two points in that period as well.

As Goley mentioned, his Greyhounds face second-seed Biloxi Tuesday afternoon at 5:30 in the semifinals.

The other semi-final will pit the host Gulfport against St. Martin at 8:30 p.m.

That’s because the Yellow Jackets eliminated D’Iberville in that same time slot Monday night.

Just like the first boys encounter on Monday that OSHS won, the second quarterfinal contest was just as close late in the game as St. Martin led slightly at 39-37 entering the final frame.

But St. Martin senior point guard Jax Walker showed up and showed out down the stretch, tallying eight points in the fourth quarter including a pair of 3-pointers as the Yellow Jackets ended the season for the Warriors.

Walker led SMHS with 16 points and R.J. Keys added 14 points to the winning effort, while Terrence Allen chipped in nine points.

Juan Santiago scored 16 points for DHS and Jaylan Johnson added 14 points for the Warriors.

The St. Martin win not only put veteran head coach Charlie Pavlus’ crew back in the state playoffs for the first time in four years but avenged a 50-29 loss to the Warriors Friday night in the regular season finale.

“I thought our guys responded extremely well after playing probably our worst game of the season last Friday at D’Iberville,” Pavlus, in his 17th year at the helm of his alma mater, said. “Friday was probably the shortest postgame speech of my career. All I said was ‘I guarantee I will have y’all’s full attention at Sunday’s practice’ and I walked out. I say it all the time to our guys, coaches win practice with film and preparation, but players win the games. Tonight was a players game, and our players made big play after big play and we were the tougher team from start to finish.”