By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
CLINTON — A quartet of “Southern Six” senior standout prep basketball players were chosen for one of the biggest honors that is doled out annually in the state of Mississippi on Thursday.
Four players from four different high schools were selected to represent their home state in the prestigious Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Basketball Classic.
The 2026 games will be played on Saturday, March 14th, here in Clinton at A.E. Wood Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi College.​ The Girls game will tip at Noon, followed at 2 p.m. by the Boys game.

A trio of Dandy Dozen stalwarts from the “Southern Six” were selected, as Max Baria of St. Stanislaus, Landon Hall of Pass Christian and Blake Nettles of Pascagoula were picked for the roster and will be joined by Gulfport senior standout Morris Robertson. All were picked to be a part of the 13 man squad by a vote of members of The Mississippi Association of Coaches.
No local players were picked to participate in the Ala./Miss. Girls game.

However, a dozen “Southern Six” junior standout products were selected to participate in the four annual Mississippi Sports Medicine North/South All-Star Basketball Games.
The 2026 Mississippi Sports Medicine North/South All-Star Basketball Games will be played Friday, March 20th, and Saturday, March 21st also at A.E. Wood Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi College.​
GAME TIMES are as follows:
Friday 3/20/26
1A/2A/3A/4A Girls’ Game: 5:00 PM
1A/2A/3A/4A Boys’ Game: 6:30 PM
Saturday 3-21-26
North/South 5A/6A/7A Girls’ Game: Noon
North/South 5A/6A/7A Girls’ Game: Noon

Representing the South squad in the boys’ smaller classification game is Rafael Cohen of St. Stanislaus.
Representing the South squad in the girls’ smaller classification game is Alex Patino of St. Patrick.
Representing the South squad in the boys’ larger classification game will be L.B. Bradley of George County, Marcus Cooper of Pascagoula and Adam Griffin of Pascagoula along with both Denzel Jackson and Adrian Martin of Gulfport as well as Markel Simmons of St. Martin.

In addition, George County head coach Terry Bradley was picked to lead the South team.
Representing the South squad in the girls’ larger classification game will be both Zaniya Johnson and Jayla Carriere of Biloxi as well as Saniyah Murray of Harrison Central and Laikyn Moore of Picayune.