Warren Central didn’t have a very good game Tuesday night, except when it mattered the most.

Shunterrence Walton hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 5.5 seconds remaining to cap the Vikings’ rally from a four-point deficit in the final minute, and they beat Northwest Rankin 44-43.

The Vikings (7-9) snapped a two-game losing streak and won for just the second time in their last seven games. Walton scored 16 points, while Raleigh Floyd and JaQuan Woods had seven apiece.

Northwest Rankin (4-8) led 43-39 with 45 seconds left. WC’s Jalen Allen stole an inbounds pass and sent it ahead to Woods, who converted a layup to make it a two-point game. After Northwest Rankin missed the front end of a one-and-one, Warren Central grabbed the rebound and Walton hit his shot to make it 44-43.

Warren Central scored 20 points in the second quarter, and led 25-19 at halftime, but only scored 19 points in the second half.

“We are a rhythm offense. We couldn’t get in rhythm,” WC coach Bruce Robinson said.

(G) Northwest Rankin 32, Warren Central 29

Warren Central scored more points in the fourth quarter than it did in the first three combined, but it couldn’t get the one final basket it needed to send its game with Northwest Rankin to overtime.

T.T. Sims missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to allow Northwest Rankin to escape with the victory. Sims finished with nine points, but the Lady Vikes (12-5) were just 12-for-48 from the field in the game and scored 13 points in the first three quarters.