Aviance Reed (53) of Vicksburg High pulls down a rebound in front of Gentry’s Lucinda Perkins. (The Vicksburg Post/PAT SHANNAHAN)

Dewayne Jackson sparked Vicksburg’s offense with 11 points in the Gators’ 57-37 blowout of Indianola-Gentry Tuesday night.

The senior scored eight points on 4-for-4 shooting in the third quarter and led a contingent of Gators (8-5, 1-0 Division 3-5A) who dominated the boards.

“Rebounding has been our weak point all year long,” said Vicksburg coach Dellie Robinson, whose team outrebounded the perennial power, 40-19. “We have talked about it and worked on it, so hopefully it will pay off.

“We have some big boys and I expect them to rebound.”

Demetrick Allen chipped in 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Miguel Henyard had nine.

Gentry (5-4, 0-1) got 12 points from Anthony Williams and 11 from Willie White, but leading scorer Michael Spurlock left the game in the third quarter with four fouls. He did not return.

“It wasn’t the fact they dominated the boards, they dominated our whole team,” Gentry coach Elmo Hickingbottom said. “We’ve had a lot of trouble when we go up against a team with some height. But we are really young this year and by tournament time will be better.”

Vicksburg got seven first-quarter points from Allen in building a 12-6 lead at the end of the quarter. The Gators doubled-up Gentry again in the second quarter, and took a 28-14 lead at the half.

Gentry made a run in the third quarter after Spurlock went to the bench. Four Gators’ turnovers in a row led to a 7-0 Gentry run to pull the visitors to within 12, but a thunderous Jackson dunk after his own block on the defensive end extended the lead back to 14 and the Gators cruised the rest of the game.

Vicksburg opened a 20-point advantage late in the fourth quarter, 55-35, and traded free throws for the final margin.

The Rams shot just 30 percent from the field, while Vicksburg shot a scorching 58 percent from the field. The Gators did, however, miss 16 free throws.

The Gators will be at Humphreys County, a Class 4A school in Belzoni, on Friday.

(G) Gentry 61, Vicksburg 46

Mike Coleman is a frustrated coach. And after Tuesday’s division loss against Gentry (5-4, 1-0), his mood did not improve much.

“We have a lot of growing up to do,” Coleman said. “Our whole division is tough and if we don’t grow up fast, it’s going to be a long year. Gentry, Greenville and Warren Central are all good teams.”

Daphne Cobbins led all scorers with 18, while Stephanie Thomas had 13 and Fernice Calloway netted 12 in the win.

LaToya Trunell led Vicksburg (5-8, 0-1) with 11 points. Tricia Dart came off the bench to score nine in the fourth quarter, but the Missy Gators were down by more than 20 by then.

A 22-2 Gentry run over an eight-minute span in the first and second quarters gave the visitors a 28-12 lead. A Brandi Hall 3-pointer broke the Lady Rams’ run, but they still held a 29-17 lead at the half.

“They got really physical with their press in the second quarter and we couldn’t fight through it like I wished we could have,” Coleman said. “They got a lot of points off turnovers and we did a horrible job rebounding again.”

Gentry extended the lead to 45-25 late in the third quarter. The Missy Gators got to within 14 with 3:32 left in the game, but never really threatened.