Wild finishes have become the norm when Jim Hill visits Warren Central in boys basketball action.

Two years ago, the Tigers won when WC called a timeout as time expired even though they did not have one. The Tigers hit a technical free throw to win the game.

On Tuesday night, WC saw an 11-point lead with 1 minute, 32 seconds remaining nearly vanish. Jim Hill’s Johnny Stringer saw his 5-foot runner roll off the rim in the final two seconds as the Vikings escaped with a 78-76 win.

The 78 points is the most this season for the Vikings (4-9) and it came against a Jim Hill team struggling to rebuild after a couple of strong seasons under coach Fred Harris, who played on Vicksburg High’s 1980 state championship team.

“These were two teams that really needed a win, but they got it,” Harris said.

WC appeared to have things in hand after Malcolm Harper scored off an assist from Dino Harris to give the Vikings a 77-66 lead.

Jim Hill’s Recell Williams hit a 3-pointer from the corner. WC then could not get the ball inbounded and was called for a five-second violation. Marquis Bailey dropped in a 17-footer to get Jim Hill within six at 77-71 with 33.1 seconds left.

The Tigers fouled Harper, but he missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Williams buried a 3-pointer to get the deficit down to three with 13.8 seconds to play. WC again had trouble getting the ball in and Dino Harris was whistled for an offensive foul. Bailey sank two free throws to slice WC’s lead to 77-76 with 12.6 seconds left.

Harris then was fouled and hit one free throw before Stringer missed his wide open shot under the basket.

“Turnovers,” was WC coach Jesse Johnson’s take on the near meltdown. “We just have a lot of inexperience out there. But at least we’re getting better. We were having 30 turnovers a game and tonight we got it down to 18.

“The uptempo created more speed in the game and that’s why we were able to score,” Johnson said.

Harris led the Vikings with a game-best 27 points. Jeremye Smith had 20 followed by Harper with 17. Harris also had seven assists while Martoz Carroll had a good overall game with seven assists, five rebounds and four steals.

“That’s two games in a row that he’s played well,” Johnson said.

(G) WC 75, Jim Hill 44

Jim Hill’s Christina Barnes went the wrong way on an inbound pass to start the fourth quarter and made a pretty layup to give WC two points it really didn’t need in a 29-point romp.

The Lady Vikes got plenty of offense from Sha’Kayla Caples, who scored 23 points and then sat out the fourth quarter. Junior center Bailey Anderton scored a career high 12 to double-up a 12-point lead into a comfortable 24-point cushion at 58-34 at the end of three quarters.

“I think my previous high was four (points),” Anderton said. “I got some good passes.”

WC (9-4) heads to Madison Central Friday night and then will play Pass Christian (12-1), which is ranked third in Class 3A, in the War on the Shore at St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis on Saturday.

(G) Stringer 39, St. Al 32

Tori Hines scored 10 points and Carlye Smith scored nine, but the Lady Flashes couldn’t hold on to a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter.

The Lady Flashes were playing without leading scorer Elizabeth Mazzanti, who missed the game with an illness.

(G) Callaway 72, VHS 38

The Warren Central Classic champion Callaway Lady Chargers blew away Vicksburg in a Division 3-4A matchup.

Kiana James scored a game-high 26 points and Alexandria O’Neal had 14 in the win. Taylor Ammons led Vicksburg with 13 points.

(G) Univ. Christian 58, PCA 18

Sarah Spann scored 18 points to lead University Christian past a young Porters Chapel team. Shelby Wells led PCA with eight points.

(B) Callaway 56, VHS 46

Jonathan Phelps scored a team-high 18 points but was the only one in double figures as the Gators dropped a division game against Callaway. Deville Smith led all scorers with 23 in the win.

(B) Stringer 67, St. Al 56

Alex Lanier scored 22 points, Chip Lofton netted 14 and Luke Burnett scored 10 in the Flashes’ loss. Darius Beavers scored a game-high 41 points to lead the Red Devils.

(B) PCA 56, Univ. Christian 39

Matt Hall and Matt Cranfield each scored 12 points, and Jacob Rachal added 11 as the Eagles easily beat University Christian.