By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
KILN — The Pascagoula boys basketball team won its 23rd straight Region 4-6A contest Tuesday afternoon.
Now, if the Panthers can extend that streak one more time in its final league game of the season on Friday night, Pascagoula will defend its region crown and capture back-to-back league titles.
Pascagoula pummeled George County 78-40 in the semifinals of the Region 4-6A Tournament here at Hancock High School. The win pushes PHS into the championship game Friday night at 8 p.m., where the Panthers will face West Harrison for the third time this season and the second time in six days.

Pascagoula moves to 25-3 overall, and secured not only a berth in the upcoming Class 6A South State playoffs with the win but also assured itself a home game to open the playoffs as well.
“It’s good to be playing for a championship on Friday,” PHS head coach Lorenzo Wright said. “We expect a great game against West Harrison.”
Tuesday’s game marked Pascagoula’s third of the year over George County, and this one was a mismatch from the outset.

The Panthers exploded for 36 points out of the gate in the opening period to all but end the game right off the bat.
Pascagoula’s Blake Nettles tallied 11 points in the first frame, including a trio of 3-pointers, while Kelan Rich chipped in nine points to the outburst including a triple of his own. Not to be out done, Quey’Sean Taylor scored seven points as well as PHS decided this one before the horn for the second quarter sounded jumping out to a commanding 36-11 lead at the end of the first period.
“I felt like we came out and understood that wth a with a win, we would play one more home game next week.” Wright added.

Pascagoula went on to enjoy a 53-28 advantage at halftime and rolled on to the win.
Nettles paced Pascagoula with 14 points, while Rich chipped in 13 points to the winning effort as well. Taylor had 11 points and Ireyion Harvey added 10 points as the Panthers placed four players in double digits.
For the Rebels, who were playing without leading scorer Jeremiah Bolton, Karsyn Fairley led the way with a game-high 15 points and L.B. Bradley had 12 points.
George County will face home-standing Hancock Friday at 4:30 p.m., in the consolation contest.