GREENVILLE — The Vicksburg Missy Gators and Warren Central Lady Vikes are so evenly matched it was only fitting a win or go home game came down to a final possession.

The Lady Vikes doubled Vicksburg’s top playmakers Alexus Stirgus and Donyeah Mayfield, forcing Mayfield into a difficult 5-foot shot that fell short. Deshaundra Eatmon, who came up with the rebound, then made two free throws with 2.2 seconds left to seal the Lady Vikes’ 50-46 win over their archrival at the Division 4-6A Tournament.

Tuesday’s scores

Girls

WC 50, Vicksburg 46

Sebastopol 49, St. Al 29

Tallulah 64, Riverfield 41

Thursday’s games

Girls

3 p.m. – WC at Greenville

Boys

4:30 p.m. – Vicksburg at Greenville

Warren Central (17-8) moves on to play in Thursday’s championship game against Greenville-Weston at 7. Vicksburg, the tournament’s top seed and the regular-season champ, ended its season at 16-9.

Eatmon said the Lady Vikes could not let Stirgus beat them with a 3-pointer as the game’s final’s 16 seconds unfolded.

“We had to play some hard defense there. She had made a 3 the last time down,” Eatmon said. “Then we had to worry about Donyeah, a little bit, but Ricille (Davis) and Elayne (Robinson) were there. We had to play hard. If we lost, we go home.”

First-year WC coach Jackie Martin-Glass felt nerves played a factor in a deciding third game between the two schools. They split two regular-season meetings.

“It was a big game. We played hard. I didn’t think we played up to the level we’re capable of, but our guards played a little better than theirs did,” Martin-Glass said.

Vicksburg coach Barbara Hartzog agreed.

“Our guards just froze up. They stood around too much. We didn’t get it done,” Hartzog said.

Mayfield finished with 16 points and 19 rebounds in a gallant effort for Vicksburg.

“Our plan was to go inside to Donyeah. She played great. She rebounded well the whole game,” Hartzog said.

Davis led WC with 20 points and six rebounds, but she also had help. Eatmon had 13 points, seven assists and three rebounds while Sh’Qulla Neal and Michelle Jones combined for 13 points.

Both teams started slowly by combining to make just three of their first 18 shots. Stirgus, though, made the last two shots of the first quarter, including a layup off a steal to make it 7-4 VHS after one quarter.

Two free throws gave the Missy Gators a 9-4 lead but WC roared back by hitting six of its first nine shots in the second quarter to retake the lead at 16-12.

Things got better for WC when Eatmon drove past Stirgus to hit a floater and draw the foul with 2:19 left the quarter. It was Stirgus’ third foul and it sent her to the bench for the rest of the half. Eatmon then made the free throw to give the Lady Vikes their biggest lead of the half at 22-14.

Vicksburg came on in the third quarter as Stirgus dropped in eight points and Mayfield grabbed nearly every rebound in sight to help tie the game at 31 going to the fourth.

WC scored the first five points of the fourth quarter and never trailed again. Vicksburg’s best chance to tie before the final possession came when Shayla Connor had two free throw attempts with 5:09 left but made just one to make it 38-37. Davis then scored on an inbounds play for a 40-37 edge. She later added an 18-foot jumper to keep WC ahead by four at 46-42 with 1:41 left. A steal and basket by Kierra Ross made it a six-point lead but Stirgus cut it in half with a 3-pointer with 53 seconds left to make it 48-45. With 24.2 seconds to go, Connor had a two-shot foul and made one to make it 48-46. Vicksburg then got the ball back with 16 seconds left when Robinson was called for an illegal screen.

Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com