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S. R. No. 77 *SS26/R1599* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2
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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Wiggins, England, Seymour
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 77
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE PASCAGOULA 1
HIGH SCHOOL PANTHERS BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM AND COACH LORENZO WRIGHT 2
FOR THEIR FIRST STATE TITLE IN SCHOOL HISTORY. 3
WHEREAS, Blake Nettles hit a go-ahead layup with 1:04 4
remaining as the Pascagoula High School Panthers claimed a 56-54 5
victory over Terry and won the MHSAA Boys Class 6A State 6
Championship on March 5, 2026, at the Mississippi Coliseum; and 7
WHEREAS, it marked the first state title in Pascagoula High 8
School history for the Panthers (28-6) and featured Blake Nettles, 9
2026 Mississippi 6A Mr. Basketball; and 10
WHEREAS, the game remained close throughout. The teams were 11
tied 10-10 after the first quarter and 28-28 at halftime. Terry 12
opened the second half with an 8-2 run to lead 36-30, but 13
Pascagoula responded with six-consecutive points to tie it at 14
36-36. The Bulldogs then went on a 9-1 spurt for a 45-37 15
advantage and took a 45-42 lead into the fourth quarter. 16
Pascagoula opened the fourth with a 9-4 run to go ahead 51-49, 17
highlighted by Ireyion Harvey's three-pointer with 3:48 left. 18
S. R. No. 77 *SS26/R1599* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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Kamel Wiggins' layup gave Terry a 52-51 lead, but Nettles drove 19
for a layup with 1:04 remaining to put Pascagoula back in front 20
53-52. Tamir Boykin's layup with 22 seconds left extended the 21
Panthers' lead to 55-52. Wiggins made two free throws with 17 22
seconds remaining to cut the deficit to 55-54. Evan Beck then 23
made 1 of 2 free throws with 5 seconds left for a 56-54 advantage. 24
Terry's final shot bounced off the rim at the buzzer; and 25
WHEREAS, "We felt like we had a state championship team the 26
last two years, but this team did what it took and came to work 27
every single day and got better. This is awesome and something 28
you can't take away from us. First state championship in 29
Pascagoula history. Three years now, we finally did it," said 30
Pascagoula High School Head Coach Lorenzo Wright, who spent 10 31
years at the helm of the Panthers; and 32
WHEREAS, Adam Griffin scored a game-high 15 points to lead 33
Pascagoula and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. "We 34
never lost faith in the guys and we made plays and played hard all 35
game and played with heart. Once one of my shots went in, it felt 36
like they all were going in. So it was a confidence boost. We 37
made history, so we're excited and going to celebrate this for a 38
while," Griffin said; and 39
WHEREAS, it took the Panther program almost 50 years since 40
its last trip to the state finals to get back there, and about 41
eight decades after first fielding a team, Pascagoula High School 42
finally brought home that elusive state title. A Panther team 43
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ST: Commend Pascagoula High School Panthers
Boys Basketball Team for first State Title in
school history.
making its third-straight trip to the final four and its eighth 44
appearance at the Big House in the past 15 seasons was finally 45
able to head back home with a smile and a Gold Ball; and 46
WHEREAS, the 2025-2026 Pascagoula High School Panthers Boys 47
Basketball Team Roster: Marcus Cooper, Blake Nettles, Christopher 48
Rogers, Wiliam Rogers, Evan Beck, Michael Troche, Kyrin Nunnery, 49
Travion Williams, Jaeden Blanchard, Tamir Boykin, Dominic Arevalo, 50
Camerien Rogers and Derick Powe; and Head Coach Lorenzo Wright; 51
and 52
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize these 53
student-athletes who have won a first-ever championship to honor 54
their school, their county and reflect positively on the State of 55
Mississippi: 56
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 57
MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the 58
Pascagoula High School Panthers Boys Basketball Team and Coach 59
Lorenzo Wright for their first state title in school history, and 60
extend to the team, coaches, parents and sponsors our best wishes 61
for future championships. 62
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 63
Coach Lorenzo Wright and Pascagoula Principal Milton Ray III for 64
the team, forwarded to the Jackson County Board of Education, and 65
made available to the Capitol Press Corps. 66