BUNKIE, La. — The Vidalia Vikings had a double-digit lead at halftime and appeared on their way to an easy win over the Bunkie Panthers Tuesday night.

But a four-point third quarter by Vidalia allowed Bunkie to get back in this District 3-3A game. However, the Vikings responded by scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter to rally for a 64-53 win over the Panthers.

As for how Vidalia did so bad in the third quarter, Vikings head coach Robert Sanders said, “We just couldn’t score. All of our points may have been on free throws. We couldn’t finish our shots (down low).”

Then Bunkie went ahead of Vidalia by one point on numerous occasions in the fourth quarter before the Vikings were finally able to pull away for the 11-point victory.

“Things turned around in the fourth quarter. We were more patient. We knocked down some 3s and some free throws.”

Daryl Polk led Vidalia (10-10, 5-1) with a game-high 21 points and Brandon Bauchman added 16 points.

“(Polk) had a good performance. He played the whole game. He didn’t go out a single second. When we gave him the ball, he was able to finish. When he wasn’t, he was fouled,” Sanders said. “Once they started sagging in on the inside, we went outside.”

Vidalia ended up outscoring Bunkie 24-15 in that decisive fourth quarter. The Panthers were led by Quinshay Adams with 13 points and Devonte Bassett with 12 points.

The Vikings will once again be on the road in district play as they visit Jena on Friday night.

Vicksburg 81,

Natchez High 51

VICKSBURG — Mychal Ammons scored 18 points and Willie Gibbs had 15 points to lead four Vicksburg players in double figures as the Gators, ranked No. 6 in the Clarion-Ledger’s Boys Super 10 poll and No. 2 in Class 6A, defeated the Natchez High Bulldogs Tuesday night.

This game was pretty much over not long after the opening tip. Natchez High just simply had no answer for what Vicksburg (19-3) was doing in the first quarter, which mercifully ended with the Gators leading 29-5.

The Bulldogs played much better in the second quarter and put up 19 points, yet they still trailed by 19 points at halftime. Unfortunately for Natchez High, the third quarter was similar to the first quarter as Vicksburg scored 19 points while holding the Bulldogs to just eight points.

Derrian Johnson finished with 17 points to lead Natchez High (10-13), but he was the only Bulldogs player to score in double figures. The Bulldogs play at Wilkinson County next Tuesday.

Central Private 81,

Trinity Episcopal 62

BAKER, La. — The first time Trinity Episcopal and Central Private School faced each other this season was back in early December with the Rebels putting up 110 points in a lopsided win at Trinity.

That would not be the case this time. In the battle between the No. 3 team in Class A and the No. 3 team in Class AA, Central Private had to use a big fourth quarter to pull away for the 19-point win over Trinity Tuesday night.

The Saints played quite well in the first quarter and actually led the Rebels 20-17. The second quarter, however, wasn’t so kind to the visitors from Natchez as they scored just eight points while the Rebels put up 20 points to take a 37-28 halftime lead.

Any thoughts of Central Private opening up a big lead in the third quarter would be put on hold as Trinity outscored the Rebels 18-16 and trailed by just seven points heading into the fourth quarter. Yet that’s when the Rebels flexed their muscles and ended up outscoring the Saints 28-16.

Givonni Dent led Trinity (21-5) with 14 points while Tanner Cage scored 12 points and Tip McKenzie added 10 points. Central Private (25-2) was led by Simpson Anderson with a game-high 21 points and Jake Flaggert with 18 points.

Trinity Episcopal plays at Parklane Academy this Saturday.

Tallulah Academy 48,

Tensas Academy 47

ST. JOSEPH, La. — After Blaine Fletcher hit a jumper to give Tensas Academy a two-point lead with about 10 seconds left, Jake Busby answered with a 3-pointer with 6.2 seconds left to give Tallulah Academy a dramatic one-point win in MAIS District 6-A action Tuesday night.

Busby’s game-winning shot capped off a furious rally by Tallulah Academy, which trailed 34-27 heading into the fourth quarter. The Trojans outscored the Chiefs 21-13 in the fourth quarter. Busby led all scorers with 21 points and Shane Shivers added 12 points.

Fletcher led Tensas Academy with 13 points while Jake Emfinger added 12 points and Josh Sikes chipped in with 11 points.