It’s been five years since the Warren Central boys basketball team has beaten Vicksburg High.

On Saturday afternoon at VHS, a new Vikings coach, Chareck Cable, gets his first shot against the Gators (4-4).

Since coming off a five-game suspension imposed by the Vicksburg Warren School District after it was determined the Vikings violated preseason practice rules, Cable has directed Warren Central (5-6) to four wins in six games. It might have been five out of six had they not blown a seven-point lead in the final 1:37 against Brookhaven on Tuesday and lost 55-54 on a last-second shot.

Despite the disappointing loss, Cable likes how his team has responded since he regained control of the team following the suspension. The Vikings lost their first four games without Cable.

“I think when I got back I was able to settle them down and guide them through the transition,” Cable said. “We’ve played pretty good.”

In the four wins, the Vikings have held all of their opponents under 50 points. Junior forward Kourey Davis has averaged 17.8 points and 10 rebounds a game this season to lead the charge.

Now, the Vikings can see if they can end Vicksburg’s streak which has approached 13 games. The last WC win in the series was on Nov. 11, 2006 when the Vikings won 52-49 in the finals of the Vicksburg-Warren tournament.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Cable said. “It should be a fun atmosphere. They will present us with some different matchups that we’ve yet to face, with the smaller guards. They are an established program.”

And one led, ironically, by Cable’s father-in-law, Dellie C. Robinson. Robinson led Vicksburg to the Class 6A championship game last season with a 27-4 record.

This year’s VHS team has eight sophomores in its nine-man rotation. Guard DeAngelo Richardson leads the Gators with 14.3 points per game, but it’s point guard Edward Davis (13.0, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals) that makes them go. Tre’Darius Carter, a 6-foot-8 junior center, adds size in the middle with 7.3 points and 7 rebounds.

“With eight sophomores we just had to face facts that they are going to make mistakes. We just have to play through them,” Robinson said.

The girls’ game will pit a pair of three-win teams. Vicksburg is 3-5 while WC comes in at 3-7. Both teams won their last game heading into Saturday’s Division 3-6A opener.

“I think beating South Delta, a week before we play WC, has brought back our confidence,” Vicksburg coach Barbara Hartzog said. The Missy Gators had lost five straight before the 62-33 rout of South Delta.

Freshman guard Ama Arkoful leads the Missy Gators with 13.0 points per game. Aleeshah Smith keys the paint at 10.4 points and 7 rebounds per game.

Warren Central is led by guards Alexis Daniels, Rolanda Lovette and Jazmine Walker. They knocked off Brookhaven on Tuesday night, 62-48.

“We should have some motivation going in,” Warren Central coach Jackie Martin said.