Everyone plays in 81-12 WC mauling.

By Sean P. Murphy.

JACKSON – Games like the one played at Forest Hill Tuesday afternoon are referred to loosely as &#8220grandma and grandpa” games – load up the car with as many family members as possible, because everyone will get playing time.

All 14 Warren Central girls players saw substantial playing time and five players scored in double figures for an 81-12 win over Bailey, a Jackson Public School that has scored more than 20 points only once this season.

&#8220You worry about games like these, about developing bad habits and doing things you won’t get away with against other teams,” said WC coach Donny Fuller, who played his starters throughout most of the first quarter and sparingly in the third quarter.

&#8220We were able to get everyone in the ballgame in the first half.”

Sophomore point guard Karnina Bunch scored a game-high 17 points and Sha’Kayla Caples netted 12 in the win. Reserves Brittany Erves, Tay Wince and Jennifer Jackson each scored 10 points.

The statistics for Bailey were downright frightening. The Lady Knights shot 5-of-43 from the field (12 percent), committed 47 turnovers and the team’s high scorer, Bianca Blunt, had five points.

Bailey’s ineptness, though, opened the door for some of the lesser-traveled Lady Vikes.

Erves hit 5 of 7 shots and grabbed 10 rebounds and Jackson made 5 of 6 shots. Bunch had seven steals in a little more than a quarter and Caples snagged nine rebounds.

For Erves, one of the first Lady Vikes off the bench, it was a great time to catch the coach’s eye.

&#8220When I do get in there, I just try to do my best and improve,” Erves said. &#8220I try not to make mistakes, just run our game.”

Warren Central led 5-0 when Sinetha Bolton scored a basket. Warren Central scored the next 16 points of the quarter. Warren Central led 39-7 at halftime.

The second half was much the same as WC led 62-9 at the end of the third quarter. With the third team in the game, Fuller even went to a zone defense, something he rarely if ever does.

The road gets a lot more difficult now for WC, which won the inaugural JPS Tournament in 1981. The Lady Vikes were scheduled to play Provine today at 2 at Forest Hill.

A win would put WC in Thursday’s 10 a.m. semifinal game.

VHS will play Lanier today at 5.

By Jeff Byrd.

JACKSON – It will be the Vicksburg Missy Gators taking on Lanier today and not the Vicksburg boys. In an evening of upsets, the Missy Gators knocked off Callaway 59-54 while the Callaway boys upended the Gators 69-61 Tuesday at Lanier.

The Missy Gators (9-5) made 9 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter and did enough defensively to slow down the Lady Chargers’ attack led by 6-foot, 2-inch center Kiana James.

James scored a game-high 32 points, but no other Callaway player got more than seven as Vicksburg’s collapsing defense finally paid off in the fourth quarter.

&#8220Our defense was the difference. We live and die with our defense,” VHS coach Barbara Hartzog said after the win over a Lady Charger team that came into the Jackson Public Schools Tournament with an 11-2 record.

&#8220They are big in the post and (James) is a good player but when our girls show they want to play, they can play.”

Vicksburg will face the Lanier girls, an upset winner over Class 5A finalist Meridian, at 5 this evening at Lanier.

Neither Callaway nor Vicksburg had more than a four-point lead until the game’s final 90 seconds.

Callaway took its last lead of a see-saw game at 48-47 with 2:30 left. Tiffany Williams answered for Vicksburg with a layup and then converted a fast break for a 51-48 lead with 1:48 to play.

A Callaway turnover led to Taylor Ammons getting fouled. She made 1 of 2 shots for a four-point lead. Ammons then made a turnaround jumper for a 54-48 lead with 45 seconds left.

Callaway came back to within three, but the Missy Gators made 3 of 4 foul shots to ice the win.

Williams finished with 19 points for the Missy Gators. Kamiko Martin had 15 and Ammons chipped in 14.

(B) Callaway 69, VHS 61.

The Chargers (5-8) broke away from a tight game at the half by hitting 10 of 13 shots in the third quarter to build a 17-point lead.

The Gators (10-4) were still down 17 at 61-44 with 5:05 to play when they finally made a late charge. Two 3-pointers by Maurice Williams cut the deficit to nine at 63-54.

Then Callaway’s Rashad Scott missed a free throw and VHS capitalized with Delmon Robinson converting a pair of free throws to make it 63-56 with 1:28 to play.

The Gators got the ball back after another missed free throw, but a turnover at midcourt prevented them from pulling closer.

&#8220Callaway just outhustled us. They shot mostly layups there in the third quarter. We didn’t get back down the floor,” VHS coach Dellie C. Robinson said. &#8220They were getting 3-on-1 and 2-on-1 shots. When you get those odds, it’s a good thing.”

Vicksburg will play a consolation game today at 3:30 at Wingfield against Forest Hill.

Jonathan Phelps led the Gators with a game-high 25 points. Maurice Williams and Jaybri Williams each had 12.

Callaway was paced by James White with 20 and Montrell Tims had 14.