Warren Central’s fourth meeting of the season with Ridgeland followed a script that has become frustratingly familiar.

The Vikings hung tough with one of the state’s best teams for three quarters, then faded in the fourth as Ridgeland pulled away late to win 56-41 in the second round of the MHSAA Class 6A boys basketball tournament on Friday.

Ridgeland beat Warren Central (9-19), its Region 2-6A rival, all four times they played this season and has won eight of nine in the series since 2020. In three of the four games this season, Ridgeland led by eight points or less entering the fourth quarter before pulling away to double-digit victories. The Titans were ahead 36-30 going to the final period on Friday.

“We just missed some key shots. It wasn’t so much what they were doing, it was moreso what we weren’t doing,” Warren Central coach Keith Williams said. “I give Ridgeland credit. They’ve got a seasoned ballclub. They know what it takes to get there. This is new territory for us, but I like the way our program is headed. Maybe at some point that’ll be us.”

Phil Nelson, the MHSAA’s Mr. Basketball in Class 6A, led the Titans (28-4) with 19 points. They’ll play either Pascagoula or Terry in the state semifinals on Feb. 27 at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. Ridgeland lost in the Class 6A championship game in 2024.

Pascagoula and Terry play each other Saturday afternoon.

Micah Moore led Warren Central with 12 points and five rebounds, but was the only Viking in double figures. Nash Morgan and Larry Reynolds had six points and five rebounds each, and Davon O’Neal scored seven points.

Warren Central was trying to reach the state semifinals for the first time since 1974, but fell one game short. While Williams was understandably disappointed, he was still proud of his players. They shook off an eight-game losing streak to end the regular season by winning won three of five in the region and state tournaments. Both postseason losses were to Ridgeland.

The Vikings’ first-round win over South Panola last week was the program’s first in the state tournament since 2018. It’s success they can build on, Williams said, as a half-dozen sophomores and juniors return for another run.

“It hurts. But you get knocked down and you’ve got to get back up. I’ve always been taught that way. That’s what we’ve got to do. I don’t like losing, but I learn from it,” Williams said. “They didn’t think we belonged here. They didn’t think we were supposed to be here. Myself and my coaching staff, we felt like we belonged. We were working our tail off to get here. Now we just want a little bit more.”