When the 2014 season started, Warren Central had yet to win a game over its crosstown rival Vicksburg in eight excruciating years.

That changed in an instantly classic matchup this December, when Mario Doyle and the Vikings pulled out a double overtime thriller at home, immediately rushing to midcourt to celebrate with a raucous crowd living up the moment.

This time around, WC simply lined up to shake hands with Vicksburg, with the occasional high five and fist bump mixed in as the teams walked back to their respective locker rooms.

It was a game the Vikings expected to win.

Freshman Jalen Allen dropped 14 points and Mario Doyle scored 12 as the Vikings beat Vicksburg 56-53 to sweep their crosstown rivals on the basketball court for the first time since 2005-06.

“It feels good. I like it for the kids and the Warren Central community,” WC coach Bruce Robinson said. “To put everything in perspective, we’re trying to get ready for the playoffs. We’re trying to get to where we’re winning close ballgames, and that’s the best thing about it.”

Doyle sparked things with a bang when he banked a three-pointer off the backboard and drew a foul to open the matchup, but a 5-0 Vicksburg run gave the Gators the lead in a game that was as evenly matched as the score indicated.

Warren Central brought a slim 29-27 lead into halftime before the two teams traded three pointers four consecutive times. Vicksburg guard K.J. Murphy drained back-to-back treys to put his team up 40-39, but Warren Central was able to answer to stretch its lead to four.

With the fourth quarter barely underway, things in the stands got almost as heated as things on the court. Play was briefly halted with 7:52 to go as police officers and administrators broke up a fight between two girls. Once the scuffle was stopped and the game resumed, the two teams cranked up the intensity even more.

Murphy, who ended the day with 12 points, knocked down one of his four three pointers to put Vicksburg ahead. But Warren Central scraped back into the lead late, trading free throws for buckets with the Gators until 8.2 seconds remained.

A lose ball and ensuing pileup was ruled a jump ball, giving Vicksburg possession down 54-51. Doyle fouled Tyler Smith, who made both free throws to cut the lead to one with 3.4 seconds left. But in an attempt to put Warren Central at the line and keep time on the clock, the Gators committed a flagrant foul on Jessie Wilson. Wilson made only one free throw to bring the score to 56-53 with just 0.3 seconds to play, and Vicksburg’s long heave fell well short of the goal to give Warren Central the win.

“We never could quite play the way we wanted. We couldn’t quite get the tempo the way we wanted,” Vicksburg assistant coach Troy Stewart said. “That’s a good team. Warren Central’s playing real good right now. We did the best we could, got the big guys in foul trouble the best we could. It was a hard-fought game.”

Vicksburg and Warren Central both begin division play next week. The Gators travel to South Delta Tuesday before coming home to face Pearl at home, while WC squares off against Clinton Tuesday at home.

“When we move the ball around good, we got open shots and we knocked them down,” Robinson said. “We had some kids that really stepped up.”