By Maurice Singleton/Sport Writer

D’IBERVILLE — Biloxi (21-6) went on 7-0 run late in the fourth quarter to gain a five-point lead (50-45) with 2:23 left on the game clock, and that margin proved too much for the Gulfport Admirals (26-2) to overcome. The Indians would close out the game sinking five free throws on their way to a 55-49 win and the Region 4-7a championship on Friday.

Gulfport led 45-43 with just under six minutes remaining on the game clock. Kentrell Beasley got the Indians going with a layup in traffic to tie the game at 45-45. The Indians then capitalized on a Gulfport turnover as Ryan Adelphin sank a 3-pointer to put them up 48-45.

On their next possession, the Admirals turned the ball over again, and Adelphin penalized them again, this time sinking a 10-foot jumpshot, giving the Indians the 50-45 lead.

Gulfport would turn the ball over again on their next possession on a travel call. From there, Biloxi would chisel time off the clock, forcing Gulfport to foul. Carnellous Lenard would sink three of four free throws, and Kentrell Beasley would sink two of four to close out the Indians’ scoring.

“To beat the best team in the state; they’ve beaten us several times in a row, I felt like my kids needed some respect,” said Biloxi coach Seber Windham. “Before the season, everybody was talking about West Harrison, and they are great. They were talking about Ocean Springs, and they’ve got a great team. And, of course, everybody was talking about Gulfport, but nobody was talking about us.

“I told my kids that ‘you’ve got to earn respect,’” said Windham. “I think they earned that respect tonight.”

The Indians would have a huge second quarter, scoring 22 points and sinking six 3-pointers in the period as senior Sevaun George connected on three of them, followed by Beasley with two and Leonard with one.

Although the Admirals kept it close for most of the game, the one glaring shortcoming for Gulfport was at the free throw line where they sank only eleven of twenty-four attempts.

“Layups and free throws,” was Gulfport coach Brian Butler’s response to the loss. “Every big game comes down to layups and free throws. We have to go back to the lab and retool a little bit and get ourselves together. We have bigger goals ahead of us. This was one of our goals we wanted to achieve, and we didn’t get it. So now we have to get hungrier to get our next one.”

Beasley led Biloxi with 19 points, followed by Lenard with 14 points and Adelphin and George with 9 points apiece.

Denzel Jackson led Gulfport scorers with 18 points, followed by Cameron Morris with 10 points and Travor Frost with 8 points.
Gulfport and Biloxi will open the first round of the state playoffs with home games next Friday night.