For the first time since Jan. 8, 2013, the (9-6) Vidalia Vikings tasted defeat at home in the regular season.

The 61-54 loss to LHSAA Class 4A Neville High School pulled at junior guard Julius Wilson’s heartstrings after a competitive back-and-forth battle.

“This is tradition, and it’s over now,” said Wilson of the home court streak, choking on his words. “We’re still undefeated at home in district, and when we start district next week, we’ve got to protect it. We’ll be better.”

Neville players let Vidalia know right at the tip just how athletic they were. With 3-pointers, steals from a full-court press and an athletic, Rajon Rondo-like layup conversion by Kavontae Turpin, the Tigers jumped out to an 8-0 lead. But Vidalia would respond. Wilson put Vidalia on the board after grabbing a steal and converting his own athletic move toward the bucket. Later in the quarter, the Vikings erased Neville’s lead to two, and with Demarco Brown scoring eight of his 12 points in the first quarter, Vidalia trailed Neville 22-19 after the first quarter.

“Vidalia made a good adjustment and started pressuring us in a half court set, making it closer than I would have wanted it to be,” Neville head coach Phillip Craig said. “But we know this was going to be a tough place to come in and win at.”

The Tigers pulled away in the second quarter, going on a 13-0 run. A Malik Jefferson 3-pointer allowed Vidalia to climb back within 10 before the half.

Neville would go on to outscore Vidalia 16-9 in the third quarter, holding a 55-38 advantage going into the fourth. Again, Vidalia wouldn’t go down easy, as Jefferson hit three 3-pointers in the fourth to pull the Vikings within seven.

Jefferson scored 12, Wilson led the team with 15 and Overton Lewis contributed 11 in the loss. But Wilson and Jefferson, the team’s leading scorers failed to get going simultaneously on the floor.

“They were pressing too hard, but once they settled down, they started playing a lot better,” Sanders said.

Neville would ultimately hold onto the win by playing keep away and draining the clock, but Sanders was proud to see his team fight until the end.

“That’s what I just told them in the locker room,” Sanders said. “I was glad to see that fight in them.”

Before the boys tipped off, the Vidalia Lady Vikings were a fourth quarter away from pulling off the first district win of the season.

Unfortunately for (5-7) Vidalia, Buckeye erased a 14-point lead in the quarter and defeated the Vikings 54-51.

“It’s a heartbreaker,” Marsalis said. “To do like we did in the first quarter and disintegrate in the fourth, it’s tough.”

Bell led the teams with 18, while Bre’Honor Harris and Taylor Wilson added 12 a piece.