It was a blast from the past in the MHSAA Region 2-6A boys’ basketball tournament — and not in a good way for the Vicksburg Gators.

Braxton Ward scored a game-high 17 points and Javarian Mallard added 16 as Callaway beat Vicksburg 67-40 in the first round of the Region 2-6A tournament on Tuesday.

Callaway raced out to a 31-12 lead at halftime and was never threatened. Ja’Quez Marshall and Kris Washington scored nine points each for Vicksburg, but no other player had more than four.

Callaway (11-18) advanced to face top-seeded Columbus in the semifinals on Thursday,

Vicksburg (12-15) had reached at least the second round of the state tournament seven times in eight years, but had this season end at the hands of a longtime nemesis that it had had its way with in recent years.

Callaway won 18 of 19 meetings between the teams between 2014 and 2021, including eight in the postseason. Vicksburg had turned the tables by winning seven in a row, including both regular-season match-ups this year.

The Gators won 56-32 when the teams played at VHS last Saturday in the regular-season finale.

MHSAA Region 2-6A tournament
Boys
Feb. 4
Callaway 67, Vicksburg 40
Warren Central 64, Neshoba Central 61
Feb. 6
Callaway vs. Columbus, 5:30 p.m.
Warren Central vs. Ridgeland, 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 7
Third-place game, 5:30 p.m.
Championship game, 8:30 p.m.
Note: Top four teams advance to Class 6A state tournament