After a month of losing, the Vicksburg Gators are suddenly one of the hottest high school basketball teams around as the postseason approaches.

Ke’Darrion Parson scored five of his 19 points in the last two minutes as the Gators beat Pearl 53-50 on Tuesday night for their fourth win in five games. The hot streak came after a monthlong stretch in which they lost nine of 10, and has propelled them forward in the Division 4-5A standings.

“It just seems like everybody has started to buy in. They’re peaking at the time they need to peak,” Vicksburg coach Kelvin Carter said.

The Gators (8-14, 2-3 Division 4-5A) will close out their division schedule Friday night at home against Germantown (3-18, 0-4). Vicksburg won 64-48 when they played each other on Jan. 23, and can clinch the No. 3 seed in the division tournament with another victory or a Germantown loss to Callaway next week.

Vicksburg is likely to face a tough Ridgeland team in the division tournament — which it hosts the week of Feb. 12 — but clinching the No. 3 seed will ensure it does not have to face Callaway, a Class 5A championship contender that has already locked up the No. 1 seed.

“I started on Monday telling them that we have four Ridgeland games — against Pearl, against Germantown, against Yazoo County and against Brookhaven — because we’re going to play them. They’re two and we’re three and that’s who we’ve got the first round. My goal is to play Callaway in the district championship,” Carter said.

Tuesday’s win over Pearl (11-12) was not a division game, but did give the Gators a lift and some experience in a pressure situation.

Pearl had taken a late lead before Parson hit a 3-pointer and two free throws to put the Gators back in front, 51-50, with about a minute left. They got a defensive stop and Leonard Sims made two more free throws to make it a three-point margin.

Pearl had one last chance to tie with a half-court heave, but it bounced off the rim.

Parson finished with 19 points and eight rebounds for Vicksburg, while Darius Johnson added 14 points. Jaymeson Norfort had eight points and four blocked shots.

“One thing we haven’t been doing is pulling out close games. We played Mendenhall the same way (a 55-51 loss on Jan. 15), but senior leadership took over with them. This time, my young guys were getting it done,” Carter said. “Guys have played this many games, it’s time to be ready.”

(G) Pearl 73, Vicksburg 55

Jayla Alexander scored 18 points, and Olivia Knight and Olivia Mosley added 16 apiece as Pearl (22-2) knocked off Vicksburg (12-10) in the girls’ game Tuesday.

Vicksburg had a two-game winning streak snapped.

(B) Riverfield 67, St. Aloysius 27

Braxton Chewning scored 15 points, but Riverfield Academy routed St. Aloysius (9-11, 4-6 District 3-AAA) on Tuesday.

St. Al will play at Central Hinds Thursday at 7:30 p.m. St. Al beat the Cougars when they played Monday night in Vicksburg.