By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PASS CHRISTIAN — With the calendar flipping to November once again, that can only mean one thing for prep sports in the state of Mississippi.

The thought that a new high school basketball season is almost here.

And with that news running rampant all across the state, all eyes in “Southern Six” prep basketball circles will be focused on Pass Christian High School this week and the annual PCHS Invitational early season Tip Off Classic.

And mainly because three of the new higher profile faces in new places in the head coaching seat on the bench in the “Southern Six” on the boys’ side of the ledger will be on display in the first two games of the new campaign on day one of the annual affair Tuesday afternoon.

The three day event features eight boys’ teams and six girls’ squads, with five schools in Pascagoula, Harrison Central, West Harrison, Gulfport and the host Pass having both boys and girls teams involved.

Play tips off Tuesday at 4 p.m., with a highly interesting match-up as Pascagoula takes on Biloxi in a boys’ battle.

Both the Panthers and Indians have each made it to the ‘Big House” in Jackson the past two seasons each, and of course the Panthers are coming off a historic season last year when they captured the Class 6A state championship.

But, both teams are beginning new eras in their respective programs, as both PHS and BHS are under the direction of new head coaches.

The Panthers are led by new mentor Regis Huddleston, while the Indians have in place a new Chief in Randy McCrory. Both men served as assistant coaches on their respective staffs last year at the same schools.

McCrory has been a member of the Biloxi High basketball coaching staff for the past six seasons, serving under long-time and legendary head coach Seber Windham who retired at the end of last season.

It will be McCrory’s third stint as a head coach on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, after serving in the same capacity at Bay High for eight seasons where he guided the Tigers to eight state playoff appearances (2013-2020), four consecutive district championships (2017-2020), and was named MHSAA District Coach of the Year in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

He also served a brief stint as head coach at St. Patrick.

Meanwhile, Pascagoula brings an 18-game win streak into the new campaign.

“So far it’s been amazing,” Huddleston said, Sunday afternoon. “Inheriting this program has required the best from me. Following a future Hall of fame coach has put an immense amount of pressure on me. The expectations of this program are not just seen; they are also felt.”

Huddleston has been a head coach before, who came to PHS after after serving as head coach at West Jones. Prior to that, Huddleston was the head coach Stringer.

The reason Huddleston is now in charge in Pascagoula is because former PHS head coach Lorenzo Wright left after leading the Panthers to their first state title in program history and took over as head coach at Harrison Central.

And the Wright era for the Red Rebels opens immediately after Huddleston’s does at PHS, and HCHS faces Picayune in game two in Pass Christian Tuesday afternoon at 5:30.

“I’m excited about the new start,” Wright said, Sunday afternoon. “Having an opportunity to come in and put my stamp on this tradition-rich program is one that I don’t take lightly. My guys have been working extremely hard during the preseason, and we are excited to see what unfolds.”

Wright spent 10 seasons at the helm of the Panthers, and he led PHS to three straight appearances in the Class 6A overall Final Four in each of the past three seasons.

Pascagoula went 81-11 over the past three campaigns, including a school record 29 game win streak two years ago.

He replaces longtime HCHS head coach Boo Hardy, who retired at the end of last season.