Vicksburg High went home with a W in the first round of the Division 4-5A girls’ basketball tournament. Now it’ll get a chance to win a championship on its home floor.

The Missy Gators beat Germantown 49-46 on Tuesday to advance to the tournament championship game for the third time in five seasons. They’ll host Ridgeland Friday at 6 p.m., and also clinched a berth in the Class 5A state tournament that begins next week.

The Missy Gators have not won a division title since 1999.

Vicksburg has battled Ridgeland twice already this season, losing in a blowout 81-48 in the first matchup, but then storming back just four days later to win 43-41.

Ridgeland (20-5) beat Callaway 73-42 in the first round on Monday. Callaway (2-22) will play Germantown (17-9) in the third-place game Thursday at 6 p.m. at VHS.

“Same as tonight, it’s going to be a war, but we have an opportunity to win,” VHS coach Troy Stewart said. “Not saying we will, not saying we won’t, I just know we do have an opportunity. It’s going to be a good game.”

Tuesday’s win over Germantown went all the way to the wire. Germantown started off hot, as Tyra Lindsey knocked down three 3-point baskets in the first quarter. The Missy Gators fought back, but only held a 29-28 point lead at half.

In the second half, Vicksburg started to extend its lead, largely due to the play of Tiarra Jones and Karmen Davenport. Jones finished with 12 points, including two 3-pointers, Davenport and Dajia Reed added seven points apiece.

With less than three minutes left in the game, the Missy Gators held a 43-38 lead, but every time they started to break away, Germantown found a way to get to the free throw line. Lindsey cut the lead to two with 30 seconds left. Davenport and Yakia Burns added some free throws, but Germantown scored another basket and Andy Duran got one last chance at a half court heave to tie the game. Duran’s shot bounced off the rim, and the Missy Gators came out victorious.

“We needed that win in order to stay in line with the goal we set for ourselves this year,” Stewart said. “I told the girls, perseverance was the key tonight.”

Stewart was not totally satisfied with the win, however.

“A win always makes you feel better going into the next game, but the way we won, I don’t really feel good about the results tonight,” Stewart said. “I think we should’ve played a little better toward the end of the game. We didn’t close the game out the right way.”

Stewart said that turnovers would be key for his team’s improvement on both sides of the ball.

“Germantown had a lot of turnovers that we didn’t capitalize on. We should have,” Stewart said. “Some of those things that we talk about and do in practice, they aren’t doing. If Ridgeland makes mistakes like that on Friday, we have to capitalize to stay in the game and beat them.”

DIVISION 4-5A TOURNAMENT
At Vicksburg High
Thursday – Consolation round
6 p.m. – Callaway vs. Germantown (girls)
7:30 p.m. – Ridgeland vs. Germantown (boys)
Friday – Championship games
6 p.m. – Vicksburg vs. Ridgeland (girls)
7:30 p.m. – Vicksburg vs. Callaway (boys)