VIDALIA — With Vidalia High School’s leading scorer Julius Wilson still nursing an injury, Demarco Brown stepped up to shoulder the load.

The junior forward poured in 27 points and helped Vidalia edge Natchez High, 64-56.

“We talked about whoever is hot just going to him,” Vidalia head coach Robert Sanders said. “We want to let the other team try to cool him off, not us. He did a great job.”

Vidalia jumped out to an early lead, but Natchez continued to claw and fight to hang in the game.

Bulldog head coach David Haywood said he was confident his team could potentially put out a win in the game.

“I think we have a chance every time we come out and play,” he said. “We just didn’t play our game tonight. Give Vidalia credit, they had a good game plan and they stuck to it. They were the better team.”

Haywood said some miscues on the defensive end of the floor ultimately doomed Natchez in their attempts to defend Brown.

“We broke down defensively and didn’t stick to our guns,” he said. “We stepped up and gave up wide open layups to a guy that already has a high field goal percentage. I’m quite sure he is going to convert those.”

Natchez would get within a point of the Vikings at halftime, and even trade the lead down the stretch, but Vidalia would eventually ice the game with a stall offense and key baskets as time slowly ticked down.

“I was a little nervous because we aren’t really good at doing it,” Sanders said of holding the ball on offense to chew clock. “We need to practice it a bit more. It does make me nervous especially without one of my key guards.”

Sanders said he hopes to have that key guard, Wilson, back soon.

“Thinking three weeks,” he said. “(Julius) was running around, but the doctor told him to back off and do strengthening exercises and some light shooting.”

Curtis McNulty was the only other Viking in double-digits with 13 points.

Taylor Chasely led Natchez High with 14 points, followed by teammate Jadarrius Ivory with 11.

Natchez High (girls) 77, Vidalia 33

VIDALIA — The Natchez Lady Bulldogs limited Vidalia to just five first half points, and converted basket after basket, en route to a big 77-33 victory.

However, Natchez head coach Alphaka Moore wasn’t particularly pleased afterwards.

“We have a lot of stuff we need to fix,” she said. “You use these opportunities to your advantage, that is how you get better, and I don’t think we took advantage.”

The Lady Bulldogs cruised to a 21-1 lead after the first quarter, and even with backups in the game, dominated the second quarter 25-4.

Moore said she was pleased with how her role players performed in extended game time.

“I was really proud of them,” she said. “They did a really good job and tried their best. They were running plays and running the floor and did everything I asked of them. They are the future of Natchez High.”

Thirteen different players scored for Natchez with Ernesha Chatman and Destiny Trask leading the way, each with 11 points. Skylar Morgan added nine and Kirdis Clark chipped in with eight.

For Vidalia, Bri’Honor Harris was the top scorer with nine points.