The fourth quarter has given Vidalia High School woes all season long, and Friday night proved to be no exception.

A pivotal 6-0 spurt during the middle of the fourth gave No. 7 Jena the push it needed to escape No. 29 Vidalia, 64-54 on the Vikings senior night.

“I think they were a little gassed (at the end),” said Vidalia assistant coach Damus Smith, who was filling in for head coach Robert Sanders. “We worked hard this week. We didn’t have Coach Sanders, but we played hard.”

Vidalia trailed Jena 51-50 with just over four minutes remaining when the Giants made their run.

VHS (10-16, 6-8) was perhaps its own worst enemy Friday as it made just 9 of 27 free throw attempts.
“We can’t make them,” Smith said. “We work on them daily, but we just can’t make them. That’s our biggest problem.”

Vidalia trailed at the half 31-23 and was down most of the third quarter, but Demarco Brown led a flurry of baskets down the stretch to pull his team to within two heading to the fourth.

Brown finished the game 13 and was one of four seniors recognized in their final home game alongside Terry Brown, Jarred Turner and Willie Davis.

“Demarco has been carrying this team all year,” Smith said. “I’m proud of his effort all year. He’s been the man for us all year. I like him. I just hope he can somewhere (in college) and play some ball.”

DeMikal McCoy led Vidalia with 18 points.

The Vikings will now have to sweat the out weekend to ensure they remain in the top 32 and qualify for postseason play.

“They want to go,” Smith said. “If we get the draw, we’re going. I’ve got four seniors that have been battling with us. They want to get in there. We’ll work hard and see what we can do from there.”

Shaun Todd the Giants (21-10, 11-3) in scoring with 17 points while Jaitravian Kittlen had 14.