Tuesday night’s victory over Northwest Rankin was a good win for Warren Central. Not because the Vikings played particularly well – they didn’t – but rather because they found a way to win on a night where their top scorer fouled out, their point guard was struggling to find his shot, and they couldn’t hit from the foul line.

Jeremy Smith scored 19 points – the fifth time in the last six games he’s been in double figures – Mario Luckett had a game-high 25 before fouling out midway through the fourth quarter, and WC beat Northwest Rankin 74-65.

It was the fifth win in the last seven games for Warren Central, which improved to 10-11 on the season.

&#8220I just think we’re executing better,” WC coach Jesse Johnson said in explaining the Vikings’ hot streak. &#8220We still have some unforced turnovers that are haunting us. But we’re executing better defensively and that’s carrying us.”

Warren Central led by five points at halftime, then opened the third quarter with a 12-3 run to take a 43-29 lead. Point guard Shone Ester drilled a 3-pointer during the run, but struggled the rest of the game. He finished with 10 points on 3-for-12 shooting, and had four assists and five steals.

&#8220We just started hustling. Got off our butts and started playing some defense,” Ester said of the run.

After taking their first double-digit lead with about four minutes to play in the third quarter, the Vikings never led by fewer than nine points again, although they never led by more than 15, either.

Northwest Rankin (4-16) was able to keep it close in the fourth quarter by fouling and taking advantage of the Vikings’ poor free throw shooting. WC went 23-for-39 from the line in the game, and 10-of-17 in the final period.

Fortunately for the Vikings, Northwest Rankin wasn’t much better and could never close the gap. The Cougars shot 50 percent from the field in the game, but only 68 percent from the foul line. They also committed 25 turnovers and were outrebounded 26-23.

(G) WC 68, NW Rankin 60

Warren Central got a monster game from Sha’Kayla Caples, a good one from Brittany Willis, and a mediocre one overall in beating Northwest Rankin.

Caples finished with 34 points, 17 rebounds, five steals and four blocks, and Willis added 16 points, but the Lady Vikes never could shake Northwest.

WC (16-4) never trailed in the game, but every time it pushed its lead into doule digits Northwest (4-14) had an answer. The Lady Cougars got as close as four points, 64-60, when Jerrica Moore hit her third 3-pointer of the fourth quarter with 1:21 to play.

Caples found Karnina Bunch for a long outlet pass and an easy layup, though, and Caples and Shantta Taylor each hit a free throw in the final minute to help the Lady Vikes hang on.

Moore finished with 27 points for Northwest Rankin, and was 5-for-8 from 3-point range.

&#8220We didn’t come ready to play. I sensed it this afternoon at the shootaround,” WC coach Donny Fuller said. &#8220I don’t know if it’s the fact we played well for three or four games and felt like all we had to do was show up. We’ve got to get to where we put people away.”