By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

Twenty five years ago, Biloxi sat atop the world of boys’ prep basketball in the state of Mississippi.

The Indians captured the Class 5A state championship with a 65-55 win over Hattiesburg in the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson in front of a crowd estimated to be around 5,600 on Friday night March, 9th, 2001. It marked the third ever state title in program history for BHS.

Biloxi, who finished the season at 28-10 overall, was led by Clemson signee Chey Christie with 24 points, while Tim Jones added 16 points for the Indians and Roy Causey chipped in 13 points to the winning cause.

Biloxi was led by head coach John Pugh. His top assistant was former Indian point guard Seber Windham.

The Indians out-scored the Tigers 17-9 down the stretch in the fourth quarter to pull out the win at “The Big House”.

Hattiesburg, coached by Yama Jones, finished at 33-7 overall.

The Tigers were led by Keesler Johnson, Phillip Hill and Terry Bryant with 14 points each.

In the semifinals, Biloxi defeated Jackson Jim Hill 78-60, thanks to Christie’s 20 points in front of a crowd of 6,500 in Jackson that was documented as “heavily decorated in the green and gold colors of Jim Hill”.

Biloxi led by as many as 19 points in the second half in punching its ticket to the state championship contest for the first time in 11 years.

The Indians had fallen to district rival Harrison Central in the Final Four the year before, as the Red Rebe;s went on to win the state title.

“I think that the ingredient (for winning) was that so many of the players had been here and the fire was building in them from the start,” Pugh told reporters after the win. “The goal wasn’t just to get here.

Hattiesburg beat Columbus, the top team from the north, 63-58 in the Final Four to set up the title game showdown.

All-tournament team – Chey Christie, Tim Jones and Terrick Willoughby of Biloxi; James Ball, Keesler Johnson and Phillip Hill of Hattiesburg; Maurice Williams of Murrah; Jerekus Singleton of Clinton; Mario Jointer and Harold Martin of Jim Hill; Hosea Butler and Elency Erby of Columbus.