Warren Central’s Marcus Harvey (32) skies over Forest Hill’s Rashad Crisler (2) for two fo his 10 points in the Vikings’ 66-58 loss on Tuesday night.(Job Giffin The Vicksburg Post)

[1/7/03]Warren Central coaches and players could only look on helplessly after watching a double-digit lead disintegrate into a crippling defeat.

The Vikings (5-10, 1-1 Division 6-5A) blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and fell to division rival Forest Hill, 66-58, on Tuesday.

“It’s nothing but mental breakdowns,” said WC coach Jessie Johnson, who had led his team to four wins in their last five games. “We don’t run the offense like we are supposed to and we turn the ball over at will. I thought we were the better team, but we broke down.”

For three quarters, the Vikings were certainly the better team.

Led by Seddrick Williams’ 15 points and Brian Phelps’ 11, the Vikings took a double-digit lead early in the third quarter.

Forest Hill actually led at the half, but the Vikings opened the third quarter with a 14-5 run to take a 40-30 lead.

“It was a gut-check for us,” Forest Hill coach Clay Norton said. “We lost a game at Christmas we probably shouldn’t have. When you get down that much, you do whatever you have to to win the ballgame.”

Warren Central led 44-35 at the end of the third quarter, but the Rebels mounted a fierce fourth-quarter charge.

“I have kids who believed in what we were doing,” Norton said. “They never gave up.”

The Rebels (8-6, 2-0), atop the division standings all alone, took their first lead of the game, 53-52, with 2:47 to play in the game.

After a Phelps jump shot pulled WC to within one point, Forest Hill went on a 9-2 run to end the game.

Marcus Harvey scored 10 points for the Vikings. Karlos Hall led all scorers with 16 points, and Adrian Harris added 14 for Forest Hill.

The Vikings, who could have taken the division lead with a victory, will travel to Natchez on Friday night in what Johnson is calling a must-win game.

“The one we wanted to get was tonight. We needed this one,” Johnson said. “We could have gone to Natchez up 2-0 in the division with everyone chasing us.”

(G) WC 59, Forest Hill 39

Warren Central took the Division 6-5A lead behind Cookie Johnson’s 14 points and Carla Latham’s 13.

The Lady Vikes can take a commanding 3-0 lead in the division with a victory over Natchez on Friday night.

“I didn’t think we played very well in our last game in the JPS Tournament,” said WC coach Donny Fuller. “We came back and got after it in practice.”

Warren Central (11-5, 2-0) trapped Forest Hill (7-7, 1-1) full-court the entire game, forcing the Lady Rebels into 21 turnovers.

After Forest Hill cut the lead to 21-19 with three minutes to play in the first half, Warren Central used a 12-0 run over the last two minutes of the first half and first three of the second to start the blowout.

Ebon Williams poured in 10 points for Warren Central.

(G) Yazoo County 66, VHS 34

Cassandra Anderson scored a game-high 26 points and no Missy Gators scored in double figures in the 32-point defeat.

“They are so strong inside. Their post players just killed us,” Vicksburg coach Mike Coleman said.

Kendra Sims led Vicksburg with nine points and Deidre Bailey scored eight. Vicksburg (12-7) will be on the road Friday against second-ranked and defending Class 5A state champion Murrah.

(B) Yazoo County 65, VHS 47

Sedrick Williams scored 13 points and Cedric Parson netted 10 for the Gators (7-11).

Vicksburg is scheduled to play at Murrah on Friday.

(B) PCA 45, Deer Creek 44

Dan Ivey scored a layup as the buzzer sounded to lift Porters Chapel Academy (6-10) to a victory over Deer Creek.

Trailing by three late in the game, Ryan Hoben nailed a pair of free throws to get the Eagles within one point. Deer Creek then missed two free throws with eight seconds left to set up the final play.

Ivey posted up, got the ball down low and converted the layup for the victory.

Chip Lofton added 10 points for the Eagles.

Porters Chapel is scheduled to play at Greenville Christian on Friday.

(G) Deer Creek 57, PCA 32

Porters Chapel scored 10 points in the second and third quarters combined in the 25-point loss.

Annie Beaugh scored a team-high 14 points and Allison Horn netted eight in the loss.

“We struggled the entire game,” PCA coach Kevin Griffin said.