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Warren Central's Padre Gray (22) guards Terry's Jaden Harper (11) defends during Monday's MHSAA Region 6-6A tournament game. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Garrett Orgas-Fisher shoots over Terry's Tyler Lyles (22) and Malik Daniels (0) in the first half of Monday's MHSAA Region 6-6A tournament game. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Roosevelt Harris (10) shoots a layup during Monday's MHSAA Region 6-6A tournament game against Terry. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central boys' basketball coach Ketih Williams watches from the sideline during Monday's MHSAA Region 6-6A tournament game against Terry. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Larry Reynolds (23) has his shot blocked during Monday's MHSAA Region 6-6A tournament game against Terry. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Lazaveon Sylvester shoots a free throw during Monday's MHSAA Region 6-6A tournament game against Terry. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

FLOWOOD — Ten days ago, Warren Central made a statement by beating Terry.

Monday, it was Terry’s turn.

Warren Central did not score for the final 4 1/2 minutes of the third quarter, allowing Terry to open up a lead that only got bigger in the fourth, and the Vikings lost 64-46 in the first round of the MHSAA Region 6-6A boys basketball tournament.

Trey Smith scored a game-high 22 points for Terry (20-6), Jaden Harper added 14 and Tyrel Shorts had 11.
Gaylon Turner led Warren Central with 21 points, and was its only player in double figures. Padre Gray and Garrett Orgas-Fisher finished with six points apiece.

“We just got outmanned, got outrebounded,” Warren Central coach Keith Williams said. “They’re a good team, but we beat them before because we played with them. Tonight, I don’t know what happened. They beat us down on the boards. We got outworked tonight.”

Terry advanced to Friday’s championship game against either Northwest Rankin (19-8) or Pearl (3-18), who play the other first-round game Tuesday.

Warren Central (10-12) will play the Northwest Rankin-Pearl loser Friday at 5:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Class 6A state tournament and the loser having its season end.

Warren Central won three of its previous four games entering the postseason, including a 63-59 win over Terry on Jan. 27.

“You think you’ve got to the point of winning, and then adversity sets in and here we go,” Williams said. “But the good thing about it, is we live another day. We just need to grow up a whole lot harder. We dug ourself into a hole, now we’ve got to dig ourself out of a hole.”

Warren Central was playing from behind for most of the night Monday, but kept Terry in sight until its shooting went cold midway through the third quarter.

Terry scored the last six points of the period while Warren Central scored none, and the Bulldogs opened a 41-31 lead.

Warren Central ended its drought in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter but never fully recovered. Terry’s Avery Thomas made a 3-pointer with 3:10 left that put the Bulldogs ahead 55-40 and effectively sealed the game.

“We’re still in it. God knows I didn’t want to be in this situation. I wanted to come back at 7 o’clock (Friday),” Williams said. “But this is the way it goes. We’ve just got to get these guys and get their head up, and bounce back. It ain’t the first time that we’ve lost. Now it’s no more do-overs.”

MHSAA Region 6-6A Tournament
At Northwest Rankin
Monday, Feb. 6
Terry 44, Warren Central 42 (Girls)
Terry 64, Warren Central 46 (Boys)
Tuesday, Feb. 7
6 p.m. – Northwest Rankin vs. Pearl (Girls)
7:30 p.m. – Northwest Rankin vs. Pearl (Boys)
Friday, Feb. 10
4 p.m. – Warren Central vs. NW Rankin-Pearl loser (Girls consolation)
5:30 p.m. – Warren Central vs. NW Rankin-Pearl loser (Boys consolation)
7 p.m. – Terry vs. NW Rankin-Pearl winner (Girls championship)
8:30 p.m. – Terry vs. NW Rankin-Pearl winner (Boys championship)

Tickets for all tournament games are available online through GoFan.co

About Ernest Bowker

Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.

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