The Tide and Lady Tide basketball teams were in action on Friday night as Picayune faced off against Long Beach High School in Kelly Wise Gym.

The Picayune girls fought back from a slow start and an early deficit to defeat the Lady Bearcats in overtime, 63-58. In the boys’ game, the Tide kept pace with Long Beach throughout the game but ultimately went cold at the wrong time and lost by the score of 62-49.

The Lady Tide struggled to start the game, scoring only three points in the first quarter. Midway through the second quarter, they found themselves trailing by double digits. Picayune junior Maya Whitehead scored eight points in the second quarter and helped spark a scoring run that cut the Lady Bearcats lead to seven at the half.

Throughout the game, any time the Lady Tide would begin to rally, the Long Beach girls would make a play to squash the momentum and re-establish their consistent double-digit lead. 

To start the second half, Lady Bearcats senior guard Kay Kay Smith converted a four-point play after being fouled on a successful three-point attempt.

The Lady Tide kept charging back and finally got over the hump with less than two minutes remaining when Picayune’s D’keria Myers sank a shot to give her team a 52-50 lead.

On the ensuing Long Beach possession, Lady Bearcats junior point guard Nicole Brock made a three-pointer to give her team a 53-52 lead with 49 seconds remaining.

Needing a basket to stay alive, Picayune’s Regene Bailey was fouled and sent to the free throw line where she sank one of her two shots to send the game into overtime.

In the four-minute overtime period, Whitehead took over, scoring seven of her team’s 10 points to ice the game and help Picayune secure a 63-58 victory.

In the boys game, the Tide started well and found open looks in the first quarter to take an early lead. In the second quarter, Long Beach center Stephen Edwards took control, scoring 10 straight points for the Bearcats to close the half. Picayune’s Tyreall Charles and Hakeem Magee each sank a three-pointer in the second quarter to keep the Tide within striking distance. The first half ended with Long Beach leading 29-21.

In the second half, it was the three-point shooting of Long Beach’s Devahn Englund that helped the Bearcats pull away. Englund sank four three-pointers in the second half to open up a double-digit lead, and Long Beach never looked back. The Bearcats won 62-49.

Picayune will host the Petal Panthers on Tuesday, Feb. 3 for their last home game of the season. The girls tip-off at 6 p.m., and the boys will play at 7:30 p.m.