Vicksburg takes title in division|Prep basketball

Published 12:00 am Saturday, January 30, 2010

The Vicksburg girls’ big two got some help Friday, and with it clinched the top seed in the Division 4-6A Tournament.

The Missy Gators won the league’s regular-season title by beating visiting Clinton 58-48.

Donyeah Mayfield and Alexus Stirgus had big nights, but they got plenty of help from Anquannette Harried and Shanequa Hill. Harried chipped in 11 points and six rebounds, a solid complement to Mayfield’s game-high 24 points and 14 boards.

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Stirgus finished with 10 assists while Hill had nine points and four assists.

“She (Harried) did an excellent job,” VHS coach Barbara Hartzog said. “She did a real good job rebounding and on defense. When we get everybody together on one night, we can be really good.”

Vicksburg (15-7, 4-2 4-6A) overcame a nine-point deficit in the second quarter by scoring the last 11 points of the half to take a 32-30 lead. Harried had three baskets in the run while Hill had five points and two assists.

“We knew we wanted this game because we wanted to be No. 1 in the division,” Harried said. “We took our time and didn’t rush our shots.”

The Lady Arrows opened the second half on a 7-2 spurt to grab a 37-34 lead, but leading scorer Antonekia Williams was called for a charge for her third foul. That was the opening Vicksburg needed as Stirgus drove twice to the basket and then set up Alexis Hall for an easy shot to give Vicksburg the lead at 46-43. An offensive putback by Mayfield made it 48-43 after three quarters.

Two baskets off inbound plays helped Vicksburg go up 56-45, then Shayla Connor’s steal with 1:53 left sealed it.

Ericka Robinson led Clinton (16-11, 2-4) with 21 points and Williams had 17.

“We may have hedged a little better on defense but we pretty much did the same thing on defense as in the first game,” Mayfield said. “Then we ran the floor and beat them back.”

(B) VHS 71, Clinton 48

Mychal Ammons had a game-high 27 points and a career-best seven steals, seven rebounds and five assists as the Gators (21-2, 5-1 4-6A) clinched the top seed in the division tournament.

“I didn’t know I had that many steals,” Ammons said.

Four of Ammons’ swipes came in a decisive third quarter where the Gators outscored the Arrows 23-9.

Clinton (9-15, 2-4) had 13 second half turnovers.

Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com