Prep Basketball: Pirates fall to Morton in Class 4A South State Quarterfinals

Pass Christian’s Perry Williams goes up with an underhand shot vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

By STAN CALDWELL/Sports Writer

POPLARVILLE — In basketball, the main objective is to score points.

Pass Christian’s boys simply didn’t do a good enough job doing that, and as a result, the Pirates season is over after a 38-32 defeat at the hands of Morton in the Class 4A quarterfinal round Saturday at M.R. White Coliseum on the campus of Pearl River Community College.

The Panthers (21-7) advanced to the 4A Final Four at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson, where they will battle Choctaw Central at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Pass finished 23-10.

Pass Christian’s Landon Hall makes a move to the basket vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Pass Christian’s Landon Hall goes hard to the hoop vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Pass Christian’s Perry Williams brings the ball down court vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

“We struggled to put the ball in the hole tonight,” said Pass Christian coach Robin Sikes. “Two really good defensive teams playing against each other, and it comes down to those extra plays and who wants it more.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be a game played in the 70s. Hats off to Morton. Their coach does a phenomenal job. They’ve been here before and they knew what it would take to win.”

This one was a thriller from start to finish. The two teams played through 11 lead changes and six ties before Morton pulled away in the final two minutes.

“These were two teams that definitely deserved to be here,” said Sikes. “Morton just made the plays down the stretch. When you give a team 20 extra possessions through turnovers or offensive rebounds, it’s hard to come back from that.”

The game’s deliberate pace was established in the early going, and the Pirates actually had a decent-shooting first quarter – when they could get shots. Pass Christian was 5 of 9 from the field for the period, but turnovers limited their possessions.

Pass Christian’s Landon Hall hits the hardwood trying to corral the ball vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Pass Christian’s Kyran Laneaux (23) stretches out for a loose ball as teammate Landon hall (3) reacts vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Pass Christian’s Perry Williams shouts instructions out to his teammates vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Pass finished with 18 turnovers for the game, while forcing just eight against the Panthers.

“I stressed to the guys that offensive rebounds and turnovers would be key, and Morton understood that this is what playoff basketball as all about,” said Sikes. “Extra possessions, and they got those extra possessions tonight.”

Junior Kyran Laneaux got a putback jump shot to fall just ahead of the buzzer to give the Pirates a 14-13 lead after the first period. Junior Landon Hall had 6 of his team-high 10 points to lead Pass in the period.

“We missed too many bunnies and we didn’t finish,” said Pass senior Jonathan Jackson. “You have to score, and we didn’t do that well enough.”

Indeed, the second quarter was when things started going wrong for Pass offensively. The Pirates hit just 1 of 7 shots in the period and scored just 3 points.

Still, Pass Christian stayed in the game with its man-to-man defense, holding the Panthers to just 2 of 9 shooting, and the Pirates trailed just 20-17 at halftime.

The third quarter was nip and tuck, with the lead changing hands six times in the period. Senior Perry Williams swished a 15-foot jump shot, then Jackson got a putback basket to put the Pirates ahead 21-20.

Pass Christian’s Kyran Laneaux scrambles for a loose ball vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Pass Christian’s Landon Hall takes aim on a shot vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Pass Christian’s A.J. James moves the ball into the lane vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

“We definitely tried to work the ball inside,” said Sikes. “A game is about makes and misses, and we missed 14 layups. Now, not all of them were wide-open, but still, you’ve got to put the ball in the basket.”

However, the fourth quarter was almost a carbon copy of the second quarter, with Pass again scoring just 3 points.

The Pirates missed their first six shots from the field, and their only made field goal –a 12-footer by Williams – and that didn’t come until the final minutes, after Morton had built a 36-30 lead.

The only reason it was that close was because the Panthers were just 4 of 10 from the foul line in the final period.

Pass Christian’s Jonathan Jackson stretches out to a hook shot vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Pass Christian’s Kyran Laneaux glides to the hoop for a shot vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Pass Christian’s Ellic Laneaux reaches tall to control the ball vs. Morton Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)

Nevertheless, Morton was able to seal the deal with 5.6 seconds to play, when Morton senior Perry Fletcher hit a pair of free throws to give him a game-high 12 points.

Williams added 8 points for Pass Christian and Jackson also had 8 points in his final game for the Pirates.

“It’s been a pretty good run, but this was a tough way to end it,” said Jackson, who is headed for Southwest Mississippi Community College. “Coach Sikes has been great. He’s pushed hard to work every day”

After a successful first season succeeded former longtime Pirate coach Buddy Kennedy, Sikes said he is already to get started on preparations for next season. Pass only loses two seniors off its roster.

“We’re looking forward to a great offseason,” said Sikes. “It’s going to be tough, it’s going to be physical. But you’ve got to be tough to play in this environment. Losing is the best teacher, and we’ve been taught a great lesson tonight.”