Once again, the Vicksburg Gators will get to play for a region championship.
Now all they have to do is figure out a way to win it.

Devan Kiner made three 3-pointers in the third quarter and finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists to lead Vicksburg to a 51-44 victory over Ridgeland in the semifinals of the Region 4-5A boys basketball tournament on Tuesday.

The Gators (17-9) advanced to the region tournament championship game for the third year in a row and will play Callaway (19-7) Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Ridgeland High School. Vicksburg has not won a region title since 2013, and has only beaten Callaway once — a 75-70 decision in January — since 2010.

Callaway routed Germantown 92-47 in the other semifinal on Tuesday. Germantown (5-20) will play Ridgeland (21-7) in the third-place game Thursday at 7:30 p.m. for a trip to the MHSAA Class 5A state tournament.

Vicksburg beat Ridgeland all three times they played this season, including the one that mattered most.

The Gators held the Titans to only four points in the second quarter to take a 24-14 lead, then held them off down the stretch with some sharp shooting outside and at the free throw line.

Kiner’s 3-point barrage in the third quarter helped the Gators maintain their double-digit lead. In the fourth, Jermiyah Brown went 5-for-6 at the line and the Gators were 8-for-12 as a team. They made 15 of 21 free throws as a team in the game.

Brown finished with 12 points — seven of them at the foul line — and four assists. Greg Jenkins added five points and seven rebounds, and Jamison Norfort blocked four shots.

(G) Vicksburg 41, Callaway 39
For the second year in a row, and the third time in four years, the Vicksburg Missy Gators will play for a region tournament championship.

Destiny Sims scored nine of her 11 points in the second half as the Missy Gators (17-11) rallied to edge Callaway in the Region 4-5A semifinals.

Jayla Sims added 13 points for Vicksburg and Tiarra Jones scored eight. The Missy Gators beat Callaway for the third time this season and snapped a five-game losing streak.

They’ll face top-seeded Germantown (22-4) in the championship game Friday at 6 p.m. at Ridgeland High School. Germantown pounded Ridgeland 64-38 in the other semifinal on Tuesday.

Ridgeland and Callaway will play in the consolation game Thursday at 6 p.m.

REGION 4-5A TOURNAMENT
At Ridgeland High School
Thursday – Consolation games
6 p.m. – Callaway vs. Ridgeland (Girls)
7:30 p.m. – Germantown vs. Ridgeland (Boys)
Friday – Championship games
6 p.m. – Vicksburg vs. Germantown (Girls)
7:30 p.m. – Vicksburg vs. Callaway (Boys)