Ammons, Howard combine for 30 in VHS blowout|[01/13/08]

Published 12:00 am Sunday, January 13, 2008

It wasn’t too long ago when the Warren Central boys had Vicksburg’s number. The Vikings won six out of seven meetings against their crosstown rivals over a two-year span.

But in the last two years, the Gators have won six straight and completed a second season sweep of the Vikings with Saturday afternoon’s 87-52 beatdown before a packed WC gym. And with the likes of sophomore Kelsey Howard and freshman Mychal Ammons, the trend doesn’t look likely to change.

“No doubt about it we’ve had some wars with Warren Central in the recent past, but this now makes six in a row for us,” VHS coach Dellie C. Robinson said.

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This installment was over early. WC (5-16) took a brief 6-3 lead and then watched the Gators go on a 10-0 run to go up 13-6. It was 21-12 after one quarter as VHS senior guard Jonathan Phelps scored nine of his game-high 30 points in the first quarter.

Phelps continued to shoot at will, adding nine more points in the second. Ammons, a 6-foot, 5-inch forward, had six of his 12 points in the quarter as the Gators (16-5) went up 45-25.

Any hopes of a reasonably competitive second half went out the window when Howard, a guard, who has just been promoted to the starting unit after the Raymond Ranger Roundup, knocked down three 3-pointers in the third quarter alone. He finished with a career high 18.

“Howard has shown he’s a good shooter and is getting more and more confidence in his shot,” Robinson said.

“I just feel good about my shot,” Howard added. “We’ve gotten better as a team because we’re playing more team ball.”

Phelps added six points each in the third and fourth quarter to wrap up his 30-point effort. The lead reached 35 midway through the fourth quarter at 75-40.

Robinson said he hopes to use the Gators’ 4-0 start to the new year as momentum into a pair of key Division 3-4A road games this week. On Tuesday, Vicksburg goes to Ridgeland and then Friday heads to Canton. The Gators lost at home to Ridgeland, but beat Canton. They stand 5-2 in the division, good enough for third place after Lanier beat Callaway 78-72 Friday night in Jackson. Ridgeland is tied for fourth with Yazoo City at 4-3.

Warren Central was led by Jeremye Smith with 20 points and Gus Brown had 12.

(B) Sebastopol 68, St. Al 60

Alex Lanier scored a team-high 21 points and Chip Donald scored 20, but the Flashes trailed throughout most of the game.

(G) Sebastopol 70, St. Al 40

Elizabeth Mazzanti scored 22 points, but the Lady Flashes trailed by nine at the end of the first quarter and never caught up.