By STAN CALDWELL/Sports Writer

JACKSON — The melody was a little different, but it was still the same song, same verse for the Pascagoula boys.

For the second straight season, Ridgeland ended the Panthers’ season one step shot of their goal of playing for a state championship Thursday afternoon in the Class 6A Final Four at Mississippi Coliseum.

The Titans were dominant when it mattered most, in overtime, outscoring ‘Goula 12-2 in the extra period to take a 70-60 victory in the state semifinals. Ridgeland (29-4) will face Olive Branch at 8 p.m. Saturday in the 7A championship game. Pascagoula finished 26-4.

“My guys battled hard,” said Panther coach Lorenzo Wright. “You’ve got to credit Ridgeland. They made the plays and we didn’t.”

Pascagoula got off to an 8-6 lead, thanks to a pair of baskets by Blake Nettles, but Ridgeland responded with a 5-2 spurt after converting on two straight Panther turnovers to take an 11-10 lead after one quarter of play.

The Titans extended their advantage in the second quarter, outscoring ‘Goula 21-13 in the period. Junior Marquise Williams scored eight points in the period to lead Ridgeland.

Senior Quey’sean Taylor kept the Panthers in range with six of his team-high 20 points in the second period, but the Titans still pulled away late in the period with an 11-5 surge to lead at halftime 32-23.

“I was just trying to get us some buckets so we could get over the hump,” said Taylor. “Even though we were down, I didn’t think we had anything to worry about in the first half. I just tried to get some stops, and do what I had to do inside.”

And it was the inside game that got Pascagoula going in the third quarter. The Panthers were 9 of 12 shooting from the field in the period, mostly from around the basket, and used a 15-4 run to retake the lead.

“We just talked about defending and staying in front of the basketball, and taking away Phil Nelson,” said Wright. “He’s a great kid, a great guard. It was just doing those little things. I thought we adjusted well in the second half.”

Senior Kelan Rich got the Panthers started by driving the lane for layups on consecutive possessions, then Taylor hit a pair of foul shots, an eight-foot jumper and a layup on three straight possessions to tie it up 36-36.

After a defensive rebound, junior Blake Nettles went coast-to-coast for a fast-break layup to give ‘Goula its first lead since early in the game.

“I did all I could to keep my team in the game; we just fell short,” said Nettles, who finished with 19 points. “We had to stay disciplined on defense throughout the game, to get as many possessions as we could.”

Ridgeland junior Ashton Manuel swished a 3-point shot to give the Titans the lead back, but Panther senior Justin Roque drove the lane for a layup, then Rich hit a short jumper, after a one-and-done on the defensive end.

Nelson had a quiet game for Ridgeland, but he hit a pair of free throws after being fouled just ahead of the buzzer to give the Titans a 47-46 lead after three quarters.

“Personnel-wise, it was difficult in the first half for us,” said Wright. “They were all guards, and we didn’t match well, so we made some adjustments, got their lead cut down, we tied it up and took the lead.”

But foul shots proved to be the difference. Ridgeland converted 22 of 34 fouls shots, while the Panthers only had six free throws all game, making five.

“They killed us at the free-throw line,” Wright said. “We fouled a bunch, and they made their foul shots. It’s not that we didn’t, but we didn’t get as many opportunities as they did.”

Nelson was the main killer at the line for the Titans, converting 10 of 12 from the line on his way to 16 points.

“We were trying to run our offense the best we could, while dealing with the refs,” said Taylor. “We just didn’t get any calls. We were just trying to be as strong as we could.”

The thrilling final period of regulation was nip-and-tuck the entire eight minutes. Pascagoula made 4 of its first 6 shots from the field, but weren’t able to add to the lead.

Williams converted a layup off an inbounds pass under the basket for Ridgeland, and Nelson drove the lane for a basket to keep it a one-possession game.

Junior Ireyion Harvey got a putback layup with 3:40 to play to give ‘Goula its last lead, 56-54, but Manuel was fouled and sank both free throws to tie it up, then turned a travelling call into a drive down the lane to give Ridgeland a 58-56 lead.

Rich answered with a tying basket with 2:07 to play, but that was all the scoring in regulation. Both teams had chances to take the lead in the final minute, but neither one could get a shot off.

The Panthers turned it over twice and the Titans had a turnover and an offensive foul, then couldn’t get in position for shot in the final six seconds after the second ‘Goula turnover.

“We had a chance to win it there at the end,” said Wright. “But they made the plays and we didn’t.”

The overtime was all Ridgeland. Junior Josiah Davidson hit a 15-foot jump shot from the foul line on the opening possession of the extra period to give the Titans the lead back.

On offense, the Panthers started to settle for jump shots, instead of using the inside game that had served them so well through much of the game.

Taylor did get a layup to tie the game one last time at 60-60. But Pascagoula missed its last six shots from the field, four from 3-point range, and the Titans were 6 of 8 from the foul line in the late going.

Nelson hit a pair of free throws, then Manuel applied the coup de grace with a fast-break layup off a missed 3-ball and another pair of foul shots to finish with a game-high 21 points.

Williams finished with 15 points and Davidson added 13 points for Ridgeland. Rich had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Panthers.

‘Goula will be looking for some youngsters to step up next season in support of Nettles, who is back for one more season.

“We lose four guys, Kelan Rich, Quey’sean Taylor, Justin Roque and D.J. Harris,” said Wright. “We’ve got some young guys coming back, led by Blake, of course, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Except for Nelson, Ridgeland returns its key players, so a third act in this musical between the Panthers and Titans is entirely possible, and Nettles is down for it.

“No, I don’t want to avoid them next year,” said Nettles. “I want another shot at them.”