Gators snap 3-game losing streak; Missy Gators also win
Published 8:40 pm Wednesday, December 19, 2018
The Vicksburg Gators snapped out of their December funk in a big way Tuesday night.
Devan Kiner scored 18 points, Jermiyah Brown added 17, and the Gators shot 60 percent from the field as they routed Laurel 84-57 to snap a three-game losing streak.
It was the Gators’ first win in December this year, after they had gone 2-4 in the month last season.
“It felt wonderful to get off that slide,” Vicksburg coach Kelvin Carter said. “Last year around this time we had dropped eight in a row and this time we lost three. It was good to get a win.”
Vicksburg (6-4-1) went 9-for-14 from 3-point range in the game, with Kiner and Brown hitting three treys apiece. Kiner was 7-for-9 from the field overall.
Kiner also had six rebounds and five assists, and Brown had five rebounds and four assists.
Keshawn Brown finished with seven points and seven rebounds, Jaden Williams added nine rebounds, and Jamison Norfort had six points, three rebounds and five blocked shots.
The Gators also had 20 assists on 34 made baskets.
“We made some lineup changes. We moved Jermiyah to the two-guard when he had been playing point guard, and we moved the ball up the floor a little bit faster,” Carter said. “We got a lot of transition baskets and 3-on-2, 2-on-1 situations. The penetration and kick really helped us a lot.”
The Gators will return to action Friday at 5:30 p.m., when they take on West Jones in the Titans Basketball Shootout at Ridgeland High School. After that, they’ll play in the Jackson Public Schools Pepsi Holiday Tournament next week.
Vicksburg will face Holmes County Central in the JPS Tournament on Dec. 26 at 2:30 p.m. at Lanier High School in Jackson.
(G) VHS 78, Laurel 56
Vicksburg High outscored Laurel 17-2 in the third quarter and went on to earn a lopsided win on Tuesday night.
The Missy Gators (9-2) snapped a two-game losing streak and posted their highest point total of the season.
The Missy Gators will play Lanier in the Ridgeland tournament at 4 p.m. Friday. They’ll also play Jim Hill next week in the JPS Tournament, in a first-round game Dec. 26 at 1 p.m. at Lanier High School.