VIDALIA, La. – Vidalia High School showed why it sports two top 10 teams Friday with a pair of wins over visiting Port Gibson. The No. 10 Vikings beat the Blue Waves 65-56, and the No. 2 Lady Vikings got by the Lady Blue Waves 55-48.

The Vikings made 7-of-8 free throws in the final minute of the boys varsity game to ice the win.

&uot;I knew I had to make my free throws,&uot; said Jessie Banks, was 6-of-6 from the line in the fourth quarter. &uot;I knew they had a lot of good three-point shooters and they could come back at any time.&uot;

The Blue Waves (12-13) proved that in the second half. Port Gibson shrugged off a 10-0 Vidalia run to open the third quarter and fought back to within two points with just over a minute left in the game. Markea Byrd stole the ball and made a lay-up to cut the Vikings’ lead to 56-54 with 1:18 left on the clock.

However, the Vikings’ accuracy from the foul line helped improve their record to 16-7.

Jarvis Vaughn led Vidalia with 22 points and Banks and Johnson each scored 15.

Charlie Norrell led Port Gibson with 11 points and Leroy Ward added 10.

In the girls varsity game, the Lady Vikings again looked to leading scorers Natalie McGraw and Brendy Ellis to keep Vidalia’s 17-game winning streak alive.

McGraw scored 17 points and Ellis added 16 points, 10 rebounds and five steals for the Lady Vikings (23-4).

A good effort from her seniors was important, said Vidalia coach Lillian Johnson, as illness and injury sidelined five players, including starter Sharonda Anderson.

&uot;Our press was kind of weak because we didn’t have the subs. We were down to seven players,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;And size was a big factor.&uot;

Six-foot-one Lady Blue Wave Catronda Thorton was a factor indeed. She finished with 21 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks, all game-highs.

&uot;No. 33 did a good job on us,&uot; Johnson said of Thorton.

Reandra Jackson added 19 points for Port Gibson (8-15).

Vidalia returns to District 3-2A action Tuesday at Ferriday for three games beginning at 5 p.m.