The high school basketball postseason rolls on this week, as local public schools are set for the opening round of the their respective MHSAA tournaments while Parklane's girls basketball team is gearing up for another run in the MAIS Overall bracket.
After North Pike's teams competed in their Summit-based district tournament last week, the Jaguars are now eyeing deep runs in the MHSAA 5A playoffs. However, both squads will have to hit the road for their opening-round matchups.
Entering the field as a No. 3 seed, Ron Kessler's Lady Jags will battle second-seeded Northeast Jones at 6 p.m. on Friday. With a win, North Pike would face the victor of the No. 1 Laurel vs. No. 4 East Central matchup in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, the boys team is the No. 4 seed out of its district and thus will take on top-seeded Wayne County at 6 p.m. on Saturday. A positive result would see the Jaguars clash with the winner of the No. 2 South Jones vs. No. 3 Northeast Jones game in the quarterfinals.
Elsewhere, South Pike and McComb will compete in the MHSAA 4A playoffs, with all four of their teams having to travel for their first round games.
The third-seeded Lady Eagles are set to clash with No. 2 Greene County at 6 p.m. on Monday, and a win would propel them to the quarterfinals where they'd face whoever emerges from the No. 1 Morton vs. No. 4 West Lauderdale matchup.
In addition, Reggie Chambers' third-seeded boys team will meet No. 2 Forrest County at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Should they come out on top, the Eagles would turn their attention towards the victor of the No. 1 Raymond vs. No. 4 Northeast Lauderdale game.
Also competing at the 4A level, the fourth-seeded Lady Tigers are slated to see No. 1 Moss Point at 6 p.m. in Monday's opening round, and they would face the winner of the No. 2 Forest vs. No. 3 Northeast Lauderdale matchup should they come out on top.
Karshae Peterson's fourth-seeded McComb boys are gearing up for a date with No. 1 Pass Christian at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. The Tigers would meet whoever emerges between No. 2 Mendenhall and No. 3 Newton County in the quarterfinals.
And at the private school level, Parklane's girls team is participating in the MAIS Overall bracket.
The Lady Pioneers took down Pillow Academy 56-55 in the consolation game of the 4A D-I State Tournament on Saturday, and thus they enter the Overall field as a No. 3 seed.
Vicki Rutland's squad will take on fellow three-seed Amite School Center at 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday, and a win would see the team face the winner of the No. 1 Madison-Ridgeland Academy vs. No. 2 Riverdale Academy matchup in the quarterfinals.
Parklane notably won the MAIS Overall Tournament in 2025, upsetting Jackson Prep and MRA on its way to the title.
All of the MAIS Overall Tournament games will be held at Mississippi College.
*Images of each bracket are linked within the listed matchups.*
