MENDENHALL — The Vicksburg Missy Gators lost all of a 19-point lead, but still were able to right themselves in the final three minutes to beat Mendenhall 56-46 Thursday in their finale at the Mendenhall Christmas Tournament.

Vicksburg coach Barbara Hartzog was elated to see her team come back to snap a three-game losing streak that had included losses to Lawrence County and Port Gibson at this tournament.

“We started out with a bang and then we lost focus,” Hartzog said. “We got off so well and then we relaxed and things got real messy.”

The Missy Gators scored the game’s first 13 points. It was 21-4 after one quarter as Donyeah Mayfield and Shanequa Hill combined for 14 points. Eight more points by Mayfield extended the VHS lead to 31-12 when Mendenhall’s Joselyn Sullivan scored the last four of the half to make it 31-16.

“That was big,” Hartzog said. “They got hot after that.”

Sullivan scored 11 of her game-high 29 points in the third quarter as Mendenhall continued to shrink the lead down to 39-36.

A basket by Mendenhall’s Jollodie Williams tied the game at 44 with 4:12 left. At that point, the Missy Gators woke up.

Two steals by Hill led to baskets by Shaniqua Butler. Mayfield added a steal and basket to make it 50-44 with 2:33 to go.

Two free throws by Mayfield and a basket by Hill put the game away.

“We seem to put ourselves in these bad situations,” Mayfield said. “We slowed down at the end and got our focus back.”

Mayfield led Vicksburg with 20 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and four steals. She had at least 15 points and 13 rebounds in all four games of the tournament.

Hill had 15 points and eight assists. Butler had 13 points and five assists.