Prep Basketball: Biloxi survives fourth quarter barrage from NWR to advance 73-64

Biloxi’s Jakylen Edwards goes up for a slam dunk vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

BILOXI — Veteran Biloxi boys head basketball coach Seber Windham likes how his team looks these days.

And after Monday night, no one from Northwest Rankin can put up an argument.

The home-standing Indians knocked off the Cougars from the Capital area Monday night 73-64 in the opening round of the Class 7A South State playoffs. The Indians led throughout, including up by 15 points at halftime, moving to 19-7 overall. The season ends for Northwest Rankin at 16-15.

Biloxi moves on to a berth in the Class 7A South State Quarterfinals Round Friday night at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

Biloxi’s Alejandro Montalvo moves the ball swiftly down court vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Kentrell Beasley fights for a loose ball vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Alejandro Montalvo goes up for a shot vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Jaden Eckford makes a move down the baseline vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

“Our kids are starting to bond together, and that’s good to see.” Windham said. “The playoffs are an extremely different game, it’s a different mindset of win or go home so you’ve got to grind out. It doesn’t matter if it’s pretty or not, just win.”

Both squads struggled early, but Biloxi got seven points from Moss Point transfer Alejandro Montalvo, including a 3-pointer. all in the first quarter to pull out to a 13-9 lead.

Alan Ayala came off of the Indian bench to start the second stanza and scored six points, and Jakylen Edwards added five points as Biloxi slowly and steadily stretched its advantage to that 15-point barrier at 34-19 by doubling up NWR 21-10 in the period.

Biloxi’s Jaden Eckford looks for some working room vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Kentrell Beasley breaks free from the pack with a loose ball vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Alejandro Montalvo moves the ball down court vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Jaden Eckford makes a move towards the basket vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Edwards upped his second stanza performance by a point in the third frame with six points, and R. J. Adelphin had five points including his second 3-pointer of the contest and Biloxi maintained its comfortable double digit lead at 55-38 heading into the fourth period.

The Cougars didn’t quit, though, and they unleashed a whopping 36-point explosion in the final frame that included five 3-pointers from Dashawn Dillion and four triples from Caleb Hobson. But Biloxi was able to keep the Cougars at bay, as Edwards repeated his six point output from the previous period and the Indians converted eight-out-of 14 free throws.

Biloxi’s Kentrell Beasley looks for a passing partner vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Jaden Eckford stretches out for a lay-up vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Jakylen Edwards goes up for a shot in the lane vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Kentrell Beasley moves the ball cross court vs. Northwest Rankin Monday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi placed four players in double digits, as Edwards finished with a team-high 17 points, Montalvo and Kentrell Beasley each chipped in 12 points to the winning attack while Jaden Eckford 10 and Ayala both had 10 points.

Dillion tallied 19 of his game-high 23 points in that furious final frame rally by NWR, while Hobson finished with those 12 points and Jordan Samuel added 11 points.