Vicksburg’s Edwin Gaskin puts a shot up against Provine’s Earnesto Green during the second half of the Gators’ 48-45 loss in the Warren Central Classic on Thursday. (Meredith SpencerThe Vicksburg Post)

[12/3/04]A dramatic comeback by Vicksburg fell just short Thursday night when Brandon Harper’s 3-point attempt fell helplessly to the floor as the buzzer expired.

The Gators (6-4) trailed 18-2 at the end of the first quarter to Provine before steadily chipping away at the Rams’ advantage. In the end, though, Provine held on for a 48-45 win in the opening round of the Warren Central Classic. The Gators will play Warren Central in the consolation game today at 5:30 p.m.

“When you play Provine you get a little nervous,” said VHS coach Dellie C. Robinson, whose team lost to the Rams by 28 points earlier in the season. “I think our guys learned that they can play with anybody and played a much improved second half.”

Vicksburg made only 1 of 12 shots in the first quarter and turned the ball over seven times. The Rams appeared on their way to a first-round rout, but methodically the Gators chipped away.

Vicksburg cut the lead to nine at halftime and trailed 43-35 at the end of the third quarter.

“This team has to realize that regardless of who you play, you have to play four quarters,” Provine coach Luther Riley said. “One of my mentors is coach Robinson and he doesn’t have any quit in him. Nobody’s going to lay down and die for us.”

VHS held Provine to three points over the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter, and got the score to within one on a Brandon Harper layup off a Provine turnover.

With 15.2 seconds to play, Provine’s Otis Williams sank two free throws to extend the lead to 48-45. With Vicksburg’s top outside shooter, Sedrick Williams, being double teamed, the ball ended up in Harper’s hands for a tying trey.

“If you noticed in our timeouts, I didn’t give our guys any instructions,” Riley said. “We had three seniors on the floor and if they didn’t know who was killing them, they don’t need to be out there.”

Williams, who led Vicksburg with 14 points, had hit a 3-pointer to cut a six-point lead to three a minute earlier. Gaskin added nine points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

“The first time they played us we lost by 28 and tonight we got it down to three,” Gaskin said. “Some of it was my fault because I missed two key free throws.”

Jarvis Williams led Provine with 14 points.

(G) Provine 62, Vicksburg 44

A bad stretch of four minutes in the second quarter cost the Missy Gators (5-5) a shot at an upset, coach Mike Coleman said.

“If we could take away those 4 1/2 minutes of the second quarter, and I know you can’t, but if you could, they only beat us by four points,” Coleman said.

Vicksburg trailed 20-18 before the Lady Rams (7-2) ended the half on a 19-6 run to take a 39-24 lead at the break.

Provine was never threatened again.

Rachel Jenkins paced Vicksburg with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Kristin Ellis chipped in 10 points. Christie Smith and Jessica Houston each scored 11 points for Provine.

Vicksburg will have a short turnaround as they will play the 4 p.m. game again today against Jim Hill.

“The girls get down there at 2 o’clock and the bus leaves at 2:45,” Coleman said. “We may have a little shooting time, but the ninth-grade has practice and we only have one gym, so we really don’t have a place to practice when the ninth-grade is practicing.”