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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

ROCKFORD – The Vincent Yellow Jackets had to work hard for it, but they got a crucial win to open up play in Class 2A, Area 8.

Vincent defeated the Central Cougars out of Coosa 59-57 in overtime on Thursday, Dec. 12 on the road at Central High School.

The Jackets opened up the game as the favorites, using six first-quarter points from Camari Keller and four from Taye Robertson to assert early control on the offensive end.

Vincent outscored Central 12-8 in the first quarter to head into the second with a two-possession lead.

However, the Cougars caught fire from deep in the second quarter, scoring four 3-pointers and 14 points as a team to take the fight to the Jackets behind their offensive spark.

Vincent matched that offensive output as Robertson scored six points to get into double figures for the first half while Skylar McCrimon knocked down a 3-pointer and a field goal to score five points in the second.

That left the Jackets up 26-22 heading into the halftime break.

Points were hard to come by for Vincent in the third quarter, but a 4-for-4 stretch from the free throw line by Keller helped the visitors remain in the game.

The Jackets scored just six points as a team in the third though, opening the door for Central’s balanced attack to take advantage and take a 36-32 lead into the start of the fourth quarter.

With the pressure on Vincent to respond and regain an offensive spark, Keller scored eight points in the fourth while hitting a pair of 3-pointers, and Robertson bounced back from a scoreless third with five points in the final period.

The two of them combined for 13 of the Jackets’ 16 fourth-quarter points, outscoring the Cougars by four to leave the game tied up at 48-48 at the end of regulation.

Once again, Keller stepped up in a big way in overtime, scoring six points while Robertson and McCrimon knocked down free throws to keep Central at bay.

In the end, Vincent emerged victorious with a two-point win to take the first leg of the area series.

Keller led the Jackets with 26 points, Robertson dropped 17 pints and McCrimon made it three Vincent players in double figures with 11 points.

While the two teams will have to wait until next Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. for the rematch at Vincent Middle High School, the 4-4 Jackets will look to get above .500 when they host Shelby County on Friday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m.