RAYMOND — With the likes of Class 5A finalist Tupelo, semifinalist Brandon, 2006 5A champ Clinton and the host Raymond Lady Rangers, a 3A semifinalist, the Ranger Round-up looked to have some of the strongest second-day matchups in the state.

That was until the Vicksburg Missy Gators crashed the party.

VHS upended Brandon 42-30 Wednesday afternoon to take a spot in today’s semifinals against No. 3 Clinton (12-1) at 4 p.m. Brandon (10-5) was left to face Hazlehurst in a 1 p.m. consolation game.

Vicksburg (7-8) took advantage of the cold-shooting Lady Bulldogs. Brandon sank its first shot and then missed the next 16. Brandon made just 5 of 27 shots in the first half as Vicksburg overcame 13 first-half turnovers to take a 28-15 halftime lead.

It only got worse for coach Paul Hayden’s team in the third quarter. The former St. Aloysius coach saw his Lady Bulldogs make one field goal and miss all six free throw attempts as Vicksburg eased out to an 18-point lead at 35-17.

“Today was not a good day,” Hayden said. “Shooting has been our biggest Achilles’ tendon.”

It was a strength that Vicksburg’s Taylor Ammons neutralized.

“She was big, but that was about it,” said Ammons, who controlled the 6-foot, 2-inch McCarty with 12 rebounds and four blocked shots.

“This was a great win to get right after the Christmas break,” Ammons said. “They (Brandon) got frustrated and we did what we needed to do.”

A big help was the play of forward Kamiko Martin, who led the Missy Gators with 15 points, five steals, five rebounds and four assists. Martin, though, went down with an ankle injury with three minutes to play and is unlikely to be available for the Clinton game.

“We’re not sure about it, that’s why we want to X-ray it,” VHS coach Barbara Hartzog said.

Hartzog was more upbeat about her team’s play against a good 5A team.

“We had good effort and we needed that. Getting to play a team like Clinton and then maybe either Raymond or Tupelo (Friday) was a big reason why I wanted to come to this tournament. I think it’s only going to make us better,” she said

Brandon made a late push to get the lead down to 10 after Martin went out.

But two free throws by Alexus Stirgus with 32 seconds left sealed it. She finished with 13 points and six assists.

(B) Vicksburg 76, Terry 32

Terry sent its B-team to the Ranger Round-up in order to complete the eight-team field after the sudden pullout of Hinds AHS, the top ranked team in Class 2A.

Vicksburg (11-4) made quick work of the substitute team taking a 30-point lead into the fourth quarter. The clock ran freely in the final quarter as the Gators pushed the lead to 40.

“Ain’t that something,” VHS coach Dellie C. Robinson said in response to having to play a junior varsity team in a tournament. “But that’s all they could get. It was better than practice, but just barely.”

Twelve different Gators scored, led by Maurice Williams with 13.

(G) WC 73, Jim Hill 46

Ricille Davis led Warren Central with 18 points and 11 rebounds as the Lady Vikes vaulted into the second round of the JPS Holiday Tournament. WC is scheduled to play unbeaten Forest Hill tonight at 6 at Forest Hill.

Sha’Kayla Caples scored 12 points and 12 of the 13 players on the roster scored at least a point.

(B) Raymond 71, WC 65

Jeremye Smith scored 20 points, Dino Harris netted 14 and Malcolm Harper netted 12, but the Vikings fell into the losers’ bracket of the Ranger Round-Up.

Joe McCoy scored 25 to lead Raymond.