Everything seems to be falling into place for the Vicksburg Gators, and at exactly the right time.

First, they picked up their game right before the postseason and won two of their last three regular-season games. Then they took full advantage of playing the division tournament on their home floor to win the championship as a No. 4 seed.

And that title gave them another home game in tonight’s Class 5A South State satellite game against Hattiesburg. It’s not only a game the Gators are excited to reach, but a matchup they feel confident with.

“We’re going to take them one at a time, but we definitely feel we can win this one coming up,” Vicksburg coach Dellie C. Robinson said.

Vicksburg’s confidence isn’t based on Hattiesburg’s deficiencies, just on how the two teams line up. The tallest player on Hattiesburg’s roster is 6-foot-4, while Vicksburg’s biggest man is also about 6-foot-4.

Compared to the other possible satellite game opponent Picayune – which has several players in the 6-foot-8 range – Vicksburg (16-16) should be at least even when it comes to rebounding.

“They don’t have any big men. They’re like we were our state championship year – four guards and a four,” said VHS senior guard Sederick Williams, referring to Vicksburg’s state title run in 2003 when he was a sophomore. That Gators team had no true big men, but a number of athletic guards who could outwork most opponents on the boards.

Vicksburg is also starting to believe in its own abilities. The Gators went 1-6 in January and lost the momentum of an 11-8 start. Since beating Warren Central on Feb. 5, however, VHS has won four of five.

They overcame a 16-point deficit in the regular-season finale against Brandon before beating Natchez and WC in the division tournament.

“Senior night against Brandon,” senior point guard Fred Thomas said when asked what the turning point was. “The third quarter was the best quarter of my life. And the Natchez game was the best game of my life.”

Thomas and Williams, along with fellow seniors Edwin Gaskin and Johnny Markham, just hope there are a few more great games in their high school careers. A loss tonight will end them.

A win, meanwhile, will send the Gators on to this weekend’s South State tournament on the Gulf Coast. Williams wants to be there and strangely, he wants the Gators’ biggest rival there as well.

Warren Central faces Picayune tonight in another South State satellite game. Williams said he’d like to play WC for the fifth time this season in South State.

“I want Warren Central to win too. We want a better game next time,” he said with a smile. “We want Warren County to show up this weekend. I root for everybody here.”