JACKSON — The jury is still out whether this will be the best defensive team in Gators coach Dellie C. Robinson’s 19-year tenure at Vicksburg High.

On Tuesday night at Wingfield’s gym, the Gators (2-0) were quite good. They embarrassed the Falcons, who finished 30-1 last year and were ranked No. 1 for most of the regular season, 70-44. The Falcons (0-1) had no answers for the Gators’ suffocating, half-court man-to-man defense.

“My team in 2003 was probably my best defensive team,” Robinson said of his state championship club led by D.J. Jones. “This group can be that good. There was no doubt, it was an outstanding defensive job for 28 minutes. We got tired at the end, but until then, it was super.”

Wingfield trailed by 34 points going into the fourth quarter. Through three quarters, the Falcons made just 11 of 43 shots. And with every miss, the Gators were able to block out and get the rebound.

The Gators’ front court of South Alabama signee Mychal Ammons and cat-quick forwards Josh Gaskin and Kienta Ross all had double-digit rebounding games.

“We’ve made a lot of improvement on defense because we play well together,” said Ammons, who finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. “Kienta and Josh can cover so much ground it makes it easy for me to take chances.”

That’s the plan, said Gaskin.

“We want Mike to have an easy night,” Gaskin said. “The defense was good tonight. It’s not perfect yet, we still have a lot of work to do. I’ve been able to improve my slide step and I’ve gotten better at help and recover. Me and Kienta do what they ask us to do.”

Gaskin finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Ross added 11 rebounds, four points and two assists. Wingfield was held scoreless for the first four minutes. The Gators took advantage by getting four free throws from Dominique Brown and Ammons, along with two baskets by Ross, to take a 16-6 lead after one quarter.

Wingfield made just 3 of 14 shots in the second quarter and trailed 38-14 at the half.

Wingfield still trailed by 34 with three minutes left when Robinson subbed out his starters. The Falcons managed some garbage time baskets late to cut it to the final margin of 26.