By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PERKINSTON — West Harrison and Hattiesburg face off Saturday night to cap off of full day of prep basketball action in the Class 6A South State Quarterfinal Round.

The meeting between the Hurricanes and the Tigers is this week’s “Sonic of South Mississippi Big Game of the Week”.

The contest is a rematch from the opening round of the Class 6A South State playoffs last season, when West Harrison went on the road to the Hub City and pulled off perhaps the biggest postseason upset in the state last year. All the Hurricanes did was knock off the then defending Class 5A state champion Tigers 63-60 in the biggest by far of Hurricane head coach Jeff Norwood’s four-year career.

That win also pushed WHHS into last year’s Class 6A South State Quarterfinal round, where the Hurricanes were eliminated by fellow Region 4-6A foe Pascagoula 61-39 in the same venue those two teams will play in this weekend. The Panthers face Terry at 2:30 in the first quarterfinal game while the Hurricanes host Hattiesburg at 5:30 p.m.

Last season in that win over Hattiesburg, JaMarcus McCaleb tallied a team-high 13 points to led the Hurricanes, while Owen Reese chipped in 10 points, Keshawn Cook nine points and Jazear Carter eight points to the winning effort. West Harrison hit six first half 3-pointers, including a pair by Kameron Bolden. All five of those Hurricanes are back this season, and have helped guide the Hurricanes to a an 18-11 mark this season.

West Harrison beat Jackson Jim Hill 51-40 late last week top open the Class 6A South State playoffs. The Hurricanes finished as the second seed in Region 4-6A after Pascagoula won an exciting title tilt in the tourney championship contest 71-67.

Hattiesburg is 22-8 overall coming into Perkinston. The Tigers knocked off visiting Hancock 67-55 Saturday night. The biggest Hawk killer for Hattiesburg was junior Ethan Long, who hit four treys on his way to 32 points to lead the Tigers. Hancock never could figure out how to stop the 6-7 Long, who swished outside shots, then was able to penetrate for high percentage shots.

“We’re riding (Long) like a government mule,” said veteran Tiger head coach Ernie Watson. “If he’s there available, and he play, and everything goes through him. I hope there’s nothing he can’t do, and I don’t want to find out. I want him to be as successful as he can be in our program. I’m glad he’s on our team”

Jude Ulrich led Hancock with 16 points, but only 3 in the second half, and Malachi Lightell and senior Donte Taylor each had 15 points for the Hawks.

West Harrison punched its ticket to the quarterfinals with a 51-40 victory over Jim Hill Saturday. Hattiesburg has a score to settle with the Hurricanes after they upset the Tigers in the opening round a year ago.

But Watson isn’t thinking about that, at least not publicly.

“It doesn’t matter who we play,” said Watson. “We’re going to play a very good team, regardless of who it is. We’re just going to have to go down there and play our game.”

The Sonic Drive Inn at 971 E Frontage Dr, in Wiggins is ready to serve the general public for all of its pre-game and post game needs Saturday.

(SouthMiss6 Sports Writer Stan Caldwell contributed to this report)