SOUTH MISS 6 SPORTS

February 22, 2025

Prep Basketball: Panthers “Big House” bound for the second straight season

Pascagoula’s Blake Nettles makes a move with the ball towards the basket vs. Terry Saturday afternoon at Perkinston. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PERKINSTON — The Pascagoula boys basketball team is “Big House” bound. Again.

The Panthers thumped Terry 59-37 in the Class 6A South State Quarterfinals Saturday afternoon at Dantzler Arena here on the campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The win moves PHS to a solid 25-3 overall, but more importantly for the second consecutive season the Panthers advance on to the overall Class 6A Final Four next week in Jackson at The Mississippi Coliseum.

The win gave the Panthers a measure of revenge over the Bulldogs, after Terry stormed into Pascagoula two years ago in the opening round of the state playoffs and pulled off a 48-46 upset over PHS.

Pascagoula’s Kelan Rich puts up a shot vs. Terry Saturday afternoon at Perkinston. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula’s Ireyion Harvey surveys the situation vs. Terry Saturday afternoon at Perkinston. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula’s Blake Nettles looks for some working room vs. Terry Saturday afternoon at Perkinston. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula’s Kelan Rich slams the ball home vs. Terry Saturday afternoon at Perkinston. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

“It was a great win, a great team effort,” PHS head coach Lorenzo Wright said. “I think we had that game against Terry two years ago on our minds and we came out really ready to play.”

Pascagoula senior standout Kelan Rich made a quick statement early on, as he not only converted a pair of slam dunks in the opening quarter but dropped in a 3-pointer also as the Panthers took a 15-11 lead over THS heading into the second stanza.

Rich drained another triple in the next period, and his backcourt mate junior Blake Nettles scored six points including his own slam dunk to put PHS up by double digits for the first time at 28-18 at halftime.

Pascagoula’s Quey’Sean Taylor makes a move with the ball towards the basket vs. Terry Saturday afternoon at Perkinston. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula’s Tylan Wilson flies high for a slam dunk vs. Terry Saturday afternoon at Perkinston. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula’s Blake Nettles defends down low as Terry’s Quinton Wilson goes up for a shot Saturday afternoon at Perkinston. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula’s puts up a shot vs. Terry Saturday afternoon at Perkinston. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

It was the third frame when the Panthers took total command of the contest out-scoring Terry 16-7 as Rich nailed two more treys and both Nettles and Tylan Wilson continued the dunk fest. Quey’Sean Taylor tipped in a putback at the buzzer and suddenly PHS was up 44-25 entering the final frame and cruised to the win.

Rich, the only “Southern Six” player picked to play in the prestigious Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Basketball Classic this year, poured in a game-high 24 points for the Panthers and Nettles chipped in 15 points to the winning effort as well.

“The whole team played well, I’m really proud of them.” Wright concluded. “It was a big win but we’re not finished.”

Quinton Wilson led Terry with 18 points, 12 of those coming in the fourth frame when the game was out of reach. The Bulldogs finish the season at 15-10.