Gators prepping for Moss Point, state tournament

Published 12:00 am Monday, February 24, 2003

Vicksburg High’s Devin Jones, right, drives past Olive Branch’s Ben Austin during the Gators’ North State tournament win on Friday. Vicksburg, which won the Division 4-5A title and finished second in North State, will play Moss Point on Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the Mississippi Coliseum. (Brian LodenThe Starkville Daily News)

[2/24/03]Losing to Starkville in the finals of the North State championship game may prove not to be the worst thing to happen to the Vicksburg Gators.

For starters, VHS gets to play on Tuesday instead of waiting more than a week for their first game at the Mississippi Coliseum.

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And more importantly, if the Gators get another shot at Starkville, it will be for a state championship.

“We’d love to see Starkville again,” said Vicksburg coach Dellie Robinson with a chuckle. “But we have some business to take care of and Moss Point is going to be a very tough team.”

Robinson said when he found out that his Gators (27-8) were meeting Moss Point in the tournament opener, he was surprised. Biloxi was the team he expected to play, but the Indians were beaten by Moss Point in the South State consolation game.

“Moss Point is a very patient team. They are a spitting image of Columbus,” Robinson said.

That should also bode well for Vicksburg.

The Gators beat Columbus in the North State satellite game before taking down Olive Branch in the North State first-round matchup.

In the Columbus game, Vicksburg used a matchup zone to pester the Falcons’ deadly outside shooting. At one point, Vicksburg led 34-17 in the third quarter.

Going to the Big House, though, will be different than when the Gators beat Columbus in Vicksburg.

A huge arena, no depth perception behind the goals and what may prove to be a raucous crowd has Robinson and his team thirsting.

“Playing in the coliseum is something you really can’t describe,” Robinson said.

None of this year’s Gators were even in high school the last time Vicksburg reached the Coliseum. The Gators lost in 1996 to Lanier in the state semifinals, but Robinson was quick to point out that this year’s team and that one are much, much different.

“That year when we had Quentin (Smith) we were supposed to win,” Robinson said. “This is a Cinderella season for us and we are just glad to have the opportunity.”

In the other Class 5A game, Wayne County, the No. 2 seed in the South, will play Olive Branch on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.