RAYMOND – Kristin Ellis has started to get the hang of the swing-forward position.

The Vicksburg senior scored 11 of her 17 points in the second quarter to key the Missy Gators to a 49-32 win over Raymond to win the Ranger Roundup Friday night.

Ellis averaged 17 1/2 points in the two tournament wins, which included Thursday’s 61-52 upset of previously unbeaten Hinds AHS.

&#8220I want to go out big, with this being my senior year,” Ellis said. &#8220I want to make a good impressiion and I’m beginning to like being a small forward. I can do more with the ball.”

Even against a defense designed to stop her, the Raymond Lady Rangers could not, especially in the critical second quarter.

&#8220Raymond used a box-and-one and she (Ellis) handled that well,” said VHS coach Barbara Hartzog, who won her first tournament championship with the Missy Gators. &#8220We did well against their press. Things are starting to click for us.”

Vicksburg completes the 2005 portion of its season with an 8-7 record. Next up is a Jan. 3 home game against top-ranked Clinton.

&#8220No. 1 team in the state and we want payback for last year,” Ellis said of the Lady Arrows.

If Ellis can get help like she did from post players Rachel Jenkins and Taylor Ammons, VHS might have a shot to take down another unbeaten team.

&#8220Rachel had a bad game against Hinds, but she stepped it up tonight,” Ellis added.

Jenkins scored eight of her 13 points in the second quarter. Combined, the pair had 19 of the Missy Gators’ 21 points in the period which turned an 8-7 deficit into a 28-15 lead. VHS made 8 of 11 shots from the field in the quarter.

Conversly, Raymond made only 3 of 11 shots in the period. They ended, making only 13 of 51 field goal attempts.

&#8220Vicksburg hustled extremely well on defense and did a good job of cutting off our big girls inside,” first-year Raymond coach Shay Jackson said.

The VHS defense needed to play big in the third quarter because they missed the first six shots. Raymond got its two buckets from 6-foot sophomore post player Kayla Robinson to get the lead back to nine at 30-21. But a putback by Ammons followed by fast-break baskets by Ammons and Kendra Sims stopped the rally and put VHS up 36-21.

Whitney Black led Raymond (4-11) with 11 points.

(B) VHS 53, Raymond 49

A three-point play by Brandon Harper with 1 minute, 11 seconds left in overtime keyed the Gators past Raymond in the boys consolation game.

Vicksburg (10-5) trailed for 3 1/2 quarters until a 3-pointer by Fred Denton put the Gators up 41-40. It was tied at 45, but both teams missed chances at a win in the final 55 seconds of regulation.

Harper led the Gators with 18. Jonathan Phelps had 16 and Tony Ammons had 12. Raymond (7-8) had three players foul out. Deshun Cooper led with 14 points and Latrent Kelly had 10.