Picayune swept a pair of games from Long Beach in Region 7-5A action at home Friday night in Kelly Wise Gym.
Photo by Curtis Rockwell

Shemar Williams made sure that Picayune’s first home Region 7-5A game was a successful one.

The 6-foot-2 senior standout tallied a career high 39 points, as the Maroon Tide rolled to a 77-67 win over visiting Long Beach in league play. The win was the first in district action for Picayune, which dropped a pair of region games on the road over the past two weeks.

The Maroon Tide trailed in the game only briefly in the first quarter. Williams got Picayune off to a quick start, with four points right away including a pair of one of his three slam dunks on the night.

Donovan Rice fed Hakeem Magee for a inside lay-up, and Picayune took an 18-13 lead after the first period.

Jevon England kept the Bearcats in the game in the first half with 11 points, including a trio of long range 3-pointers.

But the Maroon Tide went back to Williams, who had 23 points in the first half, and he helped guide Picayune to a 39-30 halftime advantage.

Williams and Rice each scored four points apiece in the first two minutes of the second half, as Picayune opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run that gave the home team a comfortable 47-30 advantage with six minutes left in the frame.

The Bearcats, thanks to 26 points from Gerrard Warren, managed to cut the deficit to single digits several times in the final period, but Long Beach could never get closer than eight points.

Picayune moved to 10-9 overall with the win, and stands 2-1 in league play. Long Beach is 3-16 overall and 0-3 in league play.

In addition to his game high 39 points, Williams also grabbed nine rebounds. He paced a trio of Picayune players in double digits as Rice added 18 points and nine assists and Magee chipped in 14 points to the winning cause.

The Lady Tide made it a clean sweep of things on the evening, picking up a convincing 71-51 win. Both Picayune teams host West Harrison in region play Tuesday night.

In other action, The Pearl River Central girls fell to Brookhaven 45-23 in Region 5-5A play Friday night. The Lady Devils are now 0-3 in league play. Brandi Lee had her second consecutive double-double for the Lady Devils, with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Kayla Ryan added six points for PRC. The Lady Devils made just three of 15 free throw attempts.

Brookhaven also won the boys game, as the Panthers clipped the Blue Devils 49-36. Alex Travis tallied 14 points for PRC, while Terek Whitehead added 10 points to the losing effort. The Blue Devils are also 0-3 in league play.

Both PRC teams travel to Perry Central Tuesday night.

Both Poplarville teams were off Friday night, and both the Hornets and lady Hornets will be in action today on the road at Lumberton beginning at 2 p.m.