By CURTIS ROCKWELL

Item Sports Editor

LONG BEACH — Poplarville’s girls took over first place Tuesday night in the Division 8-4 race with a 57-52 win over Long Beach on the road.

The Lady Hornets used a 28-15 scoring advantage in the third period after trailing by three at halftime to pull out the win, and move to 9-1 overall but more importantly 2-0 in league play.

“It’s good to be 2-0, but it’s real early” veteran Lady Hornets head coach Annette Smith said. “We have to keep improving.”

Demi Beason tallied a career high 27 points in the win for Poplarville, while Jeronda Beason added 14 points and Policia Travis and Daiquari Raine 8 points each to the winning cause.

Long Beach fell to 0-2 in the league with the loss.

In the boy’s game, the Bearcats pulled out a 73-66 win to drop the Hornets to 0-2 in league play and 2-8 overall.

Lavelle Henry scored 17 to pace Poplarville, while Jalen Raine added 11.

Both Poplarville squads host D’Iberville in division action on Friday.

Picayune splits

D’IBERVILLE — Picayune split a pair of games on the road to open Division 8-4A play Tuesday night.

The Maroon Tide won its fourth straight game overall and earned its first league win with a 59-52 win over the Warriors.

“It was important to get that first district win,” new Maroon Tide head coach Tom Taylor, whose team is 4-3 overall, said. “When you start league play you’ll take a win any way you can get it.”

Picayune trailed early in the fourth period, but used an 8-0 run that included a pair of big baskets by Vince Gable to pull out the win.

The Maroon Tide was paced by the Nixon brothers, as Courtney Nixon scored a team high 17 points and Chris Nixon tallied 14 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for a double-double. Gable chipped in 12 points and Llyod Hall added 8 to the winning cause. Andrew Francois had a game high 20 for the Warriors.

In girls action, D’Iberville scored with three seconds to play to pull out an exciting 59-57 decision.

The Lady Tide fell to 0-9 overall and 0-1 in league play.

“It may have been the best game we have played all year, but they just made a shot at the end of the game,” Picayune head coach Kristie Mitchell said. “I was proud of our effort.”

Monique Brown returned from a three game suspension for Picayune in fine fashion, as she tallied a game high 37 points and Janea Wills added 10 for the Lady Tide.

Both Picayune teams play their first home games of the season on Friday, hosting Long Beach.

PRC hoops

Pearl River Central split a pair of games in the New Orleans Arena with Presbyterian Christian of Hattiesburg on Saturday.

The Blue Devils won 52-22, while the Lady Devils dropped a 45-26 decision.

The PRC boys are 4-6 overall and the PRC girls are 3-5 and both teams travel to Bay High in Division 8-4A action Friday night.