With the game tied, Vidalia High School’s gym was full of stomping feet, clapping hands and screaming voices as Bolton’s Kevin Chambers stood at the free throw line with 1.7 seconds remaining.

Chambers missed the first shot, but the Vikings (4-12, 4-4) weren’t so lucky on the next as Chambers sunk the shot to help the Bears secure a 45-44 victory Friday night.

“It shouldn’t have been that close,” Vidalia coach Robert Sanders said.

During the final few minutes, Vidalia and Bolton went back and forth until VHS was left with the final possession.

“During the last time out (with less than a minute to go) I called to hold the ball until the last shot and go up for another jumper, but we left too much time on the clock,” Sanders said.

Senior DeMarco Brown got the final touch, but couldn’t sink the look from the left corner.

“We got called for a foul, and it is what it is. We will live with it,” Sanders added about his team’s final efforts.

After a firm start for both teams, VHS was able to take a strong lead going into halftime, 27-19. The Vikings went on a 10-2 run in the second quarter, led by Brown who was able to get under the basket for three easy layups before the break.

“Apparently it didn’t boost our confidence enough, because we came out in the third quarter and played sluggish,” Sanders said. “We were able to pull away again, then let them back in. We couldn’t pull away that last time.”

Sanders said that protecting a lead has been something his team has struggled with all year. Vidalia’s largest lead of the night was 12 points in the third quarter.

“I’m sure the confidence now is shot,” he said. “We are going to have to do a lot to regain it. We are just going to have to keep working hard and try to finish games. That has been our downfall most of the season.”

Brown led the Vikings in scoring with 20 points. Willie Davis finished the night with nine.

VHS will be back in action Tuesday against Marksville at home.

Vidalia (girls) 52, Bolton 14

The Lady Vikings (3-14, 2-9) rallied together to pull out an all-together team win in girls action, 52-14.

Perhaps the ultimate strength for Vidalia was its defense, allowing Bolton to score only four points going into halftime.

“Our biggest strong point is defense,” Vidalia coach Damus Smith Jr. said. “I never have to worry about it, because we have a group of girls who just love to play defense.”

VHS also had its eye on the ball all night, recording steals on multiple back-to-back possessions.

The Lady Vikings were also solid on offensive and defensive rebounding, which Smith said was something that needed work.

“Rebounding was big tonight,” he said. “We have been horrible at that all season, and to see it pay off tonight is amazing.”

On offense, Vidalia had scores from five different players. Jalyn Smith led the team with 14 points, and Bre’Honor Harris was close behind with 12.

“We feel like we have been losing a lot and recently we knew if we pull through we might have a chance, so with this win, we were just trying to get our confidence back up,” Harris said. “It was the energy.”

Smith Jr. added that sharing the ball was a tremendous help in the win.

“We preach team basketball all the time,” he said. “We are still a young team, and we working on passing every day in practice. It just paid off tonight.”

Other scores for the Lady Vikings came from Angel Heckard with nine points, and Jamya Smith and Ebony Walker both finishing with seven.

“The kids have really been down and taking a couple of hard losses,” Smith Jr. said. “They just really wanted to win tonight and they were hungry for it.”