Both Picayune and Pearl River Central face big Division 8-4A basketball games tonight.

The Maroon Tide and the Blue Devils are currently part of a log jam for second place in the league standings with Pass Christian, each with one loss in the league. The Pirates are 4-1, Picayune is 3-1 and PRC is 2-1, all behind league leader St. Stanislaus who is unbeaten in the loop at 3-0.

Picayune is coming off a big win over Bay High on Tuesday, while PRC dropped its first league game to the first place Rockachaws on Wednesday.

Picayune hosts Pass tonight, in a rematch from a few weeks back when the Maroon Tide went to the Pass and handed the Pirates their first loss of the season.

“It’s a huge game for us,” first year Picayune head coach Daniel Kennedy said. “We went down there and gave them their first loss of the year, and I’m sure they remember that.”

The Pirates, 14-2 overall, have been hot since and went to Gulfport and won the prestigious Admiral Hardwood Club Holiday Tournament last week, beating the home team on their home court for the title.

Pearl River Central travels to Long Beach for a big game, as the Bearcats are 2-2 in the league and just outside of the second place pack.

Pass Christian beat Long Beach on Wednesday, and the Bearcats’ only other league loss was to St. Stanislaus.

The game marks the fourth of six straight league games on the road for the Blue Devils, before they get to play their final half-dozen league games at home.

“We’ve been playing well, but we know this is a tough stretch for us,” PRC second year head coach Alan Lumpkin said. “We just have to win as many as we can and keep it together during this road stretch and then make a push when we start getting our home games.”

Poplarville remains idle, and will return to the court Tuesday hosting Picayune in division play.

Picayune’s girls are still looking for their first win of the season after falling to Bay High Tuesday 75-24, to fall to 0-16. Janea Wills had 12 points for Picayune. The Lady Tide meet the Lady Pirates as well tonight, while the PRC girls will be back in action for the first time since before Christmas against the Bearkittens in Long Beach.