By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PASAGOULA — Two straight wins in the Region 4-6A Tournament has placed the Hancock boys in the championship game.

The up-start Hawks upset second seed Picayune Tuesday night in the tourney semifinals 59-55 in overtime in exciting fashion. The win moves the Hawks to just 11-19 overall, but more importantly ensures that the Hancock seniors will open the Class 6A South State playoffs at home late next week.

The two teams went into overtime knotted up at 53-53, after Hancock rallied from a 47-38 deficit after three quarters by out-scoring Picayune 25-16 in the fourth frame thanks to eight points apiece from both Jaxson Knight and Peyton Lee.

In the extra session, Hancock’s Kaison Koennenn called an audible and sank four straight free throws to seal the win for the thid-seeded Hawks.

Knight led a balanced Hancock scirng attack in the win, as he tallied 15 points while both Lee and Koennenn, Hancock’s All-State quarterback on the football field, ach chipped in 14 points apiece.

The Maroon Tide got a game-high 18 points from big man Jeremih Marks, while Xavier Dennis added 11 points for Picayune.

The key for us, as cliche’ as it sounds, was our mindset going into the game..” Hancock head coach Conner E#ntrekin said. “We wanted to play aggressive and not play timid. We have been trying to get over the mental hurdle of winning this game to get to the championship the last two years and this year these guys had the mindset of overcoming that hurdle.”

Hancock takes on powerful Pascagoula, the host and top seed in the tournament, Friday night at 7:30 p.m., in the title tilt.al Pearl River Central in the cono

Picayune will face arch-rival Pearl River Central in the consolation contest Thursday night at 7:30.