Vicksburg High’s girls’ basketball season was filled with closes losses. The last one was no exception.

Olive Branch pulled ahead of the Missy Gators in the third quarter, then hung on in the fourth to win 59-54 in the first round of the MHSAA Class 6A state tournament on Friday.

Olive Branch (17-15) advanced to face Neshoba Central (29-1) in the second round on Feb. 22 at Mississippi Valley State University. Neshoba Central routed Center Hill 75-49 in its first-round game Friday.

Vicksburg finished the season with a 10-20 record, with eight of its losses coming by seven points or less.
The Missy Gators led Olive Branch 27-23 at halftime, but the Conquistadors came back to take a 38-33 lead at the end of the third quarter and they took advantage of Vicksburg’s foul trouble to put the game away.

Senior Terri Boyd led Vicksburg with 22 points and five steals. Kierra James finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds, Cynia Johnson had eight points and six rebounds, and Rodrianna Hall had six points and four steals before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.

Vicksburg was 23-for-38 from the free throw line. It had 16 steals as a team.