In a little over a summer, Denzell Erves, a 6-foot-7 senior center, has turned into a college basketball prospect.

Erves came up big in Vicksburg High’s season opener, giving the Gators an inside presence with 17 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in the Gators’ 74-61 win over Port Gibson Thursday night at the Gators Gym in the semifinals of the Vicksburg-Warren Classic.

Vicksburg (1-0) advances to Saturday afternoon’s finals against Wingfield, who beat Warren Central 69-62, at 2 p.m. at Warren Central. Port Gibson (1-1) will face WC at 12:30.

The Vicksburg girls will host their tournament title game against Warren Central also on Saturday afternoon at 2 thanks to Donyeah Mayfield’s free throw with no time on the clock to beat Natchez, 68-67.

Vicksburg’s opener with Port Gibson was opportunity to see two of Class 4A’s best teams. Coach Kim Windom’s Waves made it to the semifinals of South State last year and return all five starters. Vicksburg had three of its five starters, Mychal Ammons, Kelsey Howard and Maurice Williams, return from a 27-win, state tournament team. With Erves playing like he did Thursday, a return to the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson is looking good.

“Denzell played a helluva game. Just did a tremendous job,” Vicksburg coach Dellie C. Robinson said. “He really came on during the summer and I thought played the best of anybody at the Southern Miss camp.”

With Erves and Ammons forming a solid backline, Port Gibson struggled to score in its set offense. The Blue Waves made just 20 of 51 shots, and most of the makes came off Vicksburg turnovers.

For Robinson, the downside was the 24 turnovers that helped Port Gibson hang around. Robinson used 13 players but most of the scoring and rebounding came from Ammons, Howard, Erves and Williams. Ammons, a 6-6 sophomore, had a great opener, scoring 29 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

Howard finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists while Williams had eight points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Port Gibson was led by Kadeem Fleming with 20 points.

(G) Vicksburg 68, Natchez 67

No time was on the clock but Donyeah Mayfield had two free throws and needed to make one to give the Missy Gators a season-opening win. She missed the first, but the second one was true to give VHS the victory.

Cortni Cooper tied it at 65 with 45.2 seconds left and then Alexus Stirgus swiped a steal and made the layup with 20.2 seconds left to put Vicksburg up 67-65. Natchez’s Alea Frank then scored the last of her game-high 35 points with seven seconds left to tie the game at 67.

Jazmine Walker appeared to have a shot at the win but the attempt bounded off and Mayfield got the rebound and was fouled as time expired.

Kamiko Martin led Vicksburg with 20 points and Shawadrea Farris had 16. Stirgus and Mayfield had nine each.

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Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com.