For the first time in three years, today’s Vicksburg-Warren Central basketball games will have added meaning. That’s because the two schools are back together in the same division, this time in the new Division 4-6A.

The marquee matchup will be the 1 p.m. girls game between the visiting Lady Vikes (7-3) against the Missy Gators (8-3). This will be the division opener for both clubs and it’s arguably the biggest contest between the two teams since they met in 2007 for the division tournament title in Greenville.

Vicksburg coach Barbara Hartzog tried to downplay the rivalry. This will be the first time she’s coached against first-year WC coach Jackie Martin-Glass.

“It’s a district game, other than that, it’s just another game,” Hartzog said before Friday’s practice.

Martin-Glass, though, was looking forward to it.

“It’s going to be a high-intensity game. Vicksburg likes to run and so do we. Both teams will bring their levels of play up for this one,” Martin-Glass said.

The Lady Vikes are led by forward Ricille Davis, who led a comeback last Tuesday against Jim Hill by scoring 11 of her 16 points in the fourth quarter.

“Vicksburg is our rivalry game and we’ll definitely be ready for it,” Davis said.

The Missy Gators started off 2-1 in the Vicksburg-Warren Tournament and then won four straight on the road. Since then, they have lost two at home but one of those was last Tuesday’s 57-44 loss to No. 1 ranked Raymond.

“We need to take care of the basketball, rebound and work together,” Hartzog said of her team’s key goals.

The boys’ contests offers a stark contrast. Warren Central has won only once and will be without its best player until January, Jeremy Harper, who is out after an appendectomy. Josh Malone, who missed Tuesday’s game with Jim Hill with a scratched cornea, is expected back for the Gators. The Vikings have also not beaten the Gators in four years. VHS has won all seven meetings over the last three seasons.

The Gators are 10-1 this season and have rolled over their last two foes at home, Jim Hill (85-46) and Raymond.

“We’ve shot lights out the last two games. We’ve really played well,” VHS coach Dellie C. Robinson said. “But we’re going to be without Kevin Brown for Warren Central. He broke his nose in practice Thursday. He’s played really well for us since transferring in.”

Brown came to the team three weeks ago after transferring from Killeen, Texas. He took over a critical position at the two-guard and has excelled as the team’s top defender. He also scored a season-high 12 points in the romp over Raymond.

The Gators still have their potent 1-2 punch, 6-foot-5 junior forward Mychal Ammons and 6-foot-3 senior guard Kelsey Howard. Both are averaging nearly 20 points per game.

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Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com