There’s a certain sense of pride when it comes to playing a game at home, and it’s helped give Warren Central an extra boost of confidence.

The Vikings have won six games on their court and forced an extra period against the No. 5 ranked team in the state, Brookhaven, before falling 72-65 on Tuesday night.

Brookhaven improved its record to 18-0 after being taken to overtime for the first time this season.

“I feel dejected and disappointed because we didn’t win. We played hard enough to win it. We should’ve won it in regulation,” Warren Central coach Bruce Robinson said. “I think we did a good job of executing our game plan, but I thought we would be in trouble if we went into overtime.”

Shaun Walton led Warren Central (8-11) with 21 points and eight rebounds. Chavis Smith added another 16 points and five rebounds.

Garrick Smith led Brookhaven (18-0) with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Lazorian McNulty also scored 18 points, while Marte Jones had 12 and Darrian Wilson 11.

It was a close game throughout, as the Panthers outscored the Vikings by one point in the first half 27-26. The Vikings returned the favor in the second half and outscored Brookhaven 30-29.

“You have an opportunity for somebody like that to come into your place, a sport where you’re playing pretty good,” Robinson said. “I just think it’s an opportunity we let slip away.”

In the final six minutes of the fourth quarter, the Vikings outscored the Panthers 8-6, which was sparked off a pair of free throws from Jaquan Woods. Chavis Smith sunk a 3-pointer with 2:38 left to give WC a 54-53 lead.

At the end of regulation, Warren Central had the last possession but didn’t get the shot it was looking for.

“They allowed us to hold it. We didn’t have a timeout to call. I thought we could’ve got a better shot, something going to the basket where you might get a foul,” Robinson said. “I thought we did a good job of holding it and getting the last shot.”

(G) Warren Central 47, Brookhaven 21

Kiara Lockhart, Cocoa Fultz and Amber Gaston each scored 10 points in Warren Central’s double-digit victory over Brookhaven (1-18).

Fultz led the Lady Vikes (13-6) in rebounding with 11. She, Lockhart and T.T. Sims each came away with four steals as well.

Warren Central coach Jackie Martin-Glass felt her team was a bit overpowered inside early in the game and missed a lot of opportunities at the free throw line.

“We went into halftime only up nine points but we only made 6 of 22 (free throws). Had we made more of our free throws we probably could’ve extended the game a little bit more,” Martin-Glass said.

In the second half, Martin-Glass tried to pressure the ball more since she felt the team struggling at the guard position. She ran the press and put her guards on the ball to create turnovers, which ultimately led to a 30-point lead.

The Lady Vikes are starting to push the ball up and play at a faster pace. Martin-Glass wants to see if they can get opportunities to score in transition or off missed shots.

“I told my girls I felt like a lot of our other games we kind of got possession of the ball during transition opportunities and we’d slow it up,” Martin-Glass said. “I saw that tonight and that’s one thing I’m going forward trying to do is attack the other team in transition play.”

(G) Franklin Aca. 43, Porters Chapel 18

Porters Chapel Academy remained winless on the season with a loss to District 5-AA opponent Franklin Academy.

Kaylee Hinson and Brittnee Martin led PCA with four points apiece.

In the boys’ game, PCA and Franklin were tied at 26 at halftime, but Franklin pulled away late to win 55-45.

Porters Chapel will go on the road Friday to play Amite School Center. It’ll then face Discovery Christian Saturday in the Red Carpet Basketball Classic at Warren Central, with the girls’ game at 10 a.m. and the boys following at 11:30.