TIFTON —
It was a sweep for the Tift County Blue Devils against the Westover Patriots Tuesday night in Albany, one that left both coaches feeling pretty pleased.
“It was a great win for us,” said girls coach Julie Conner.
“Westover played real good basketball,” said boys coach Eric Holland. “They just hung around.”
The Westover gym is one that both Holland and Conner said is a tough place to play. Dubbed the Boston Garden in honor of legendary Patriots coach Willie Boston, games are played before big crowds before two teams always up for the challenge. “It’s difficult to win in the Boston Garden,” Holland said.
But win the Blue Devils did.
Despite Holland being called for a technical foul that the coach said stirred the crowd into a frenzy, they held on 87-77. Brannen Greene, who will be a Kansas Jayhawk next year, supplied 37 of the points. They are now 13-2, ranked the No. 1 team in Class AAAAAA by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and are unbeaten in the state of Georgia.
The night had gotten off to a good start for the visiting Devils, as the girls won 67-62. It was a complete turnaround from earlier this season, when they played Westover as their regular season opener. That evening, the Lady Patriots dominated defensively and went home to Albany with a 44-26 victory. Things have changed since then. Coming into Tuesday’s game, Tift possessed a nine game winning streak, having last been beaten on Dec. 19.
For the head coach, the win not just doubled as revenge for the opening game loss against Westover, it was revenge for several years.
“I have never won over there, so it was really, really sweet,” she said.
In fact, the Lady Devils were zero for the last three seasons. In 2010-11, the Lady Pats won 58-44 and 39-29. Last year, the results were the same. Two Westover wins, 54-51 and 65-55.
Tuesday, Tift had big nights scoring-wise from the usual suspects, Dee Dee DeShazer and Alexis Johnson, who finished with 24 and 18, respectively. Conner said that they were far from the only big contributors. “I also had a big game out of Staceyanna (Murrell) and Brakia (Bateman). It took everybody. It was a total team win.”
While Conner said that Westover was good for Tift’s psyche, the big games are coming this weekend. They play the Colquitt County Packers in Moultrie Friday and then head in the opposite direction Saturday when they tackle the Coffee Trojans in Douglas.
Holland knows that the Devils will be the big draw in both places. “It’s going to be a packed house in Moultrie,” he said.
“It’s going to be some tough games,” Conner said, but admitted that she was feeling pretty good about her squad. “We’re doing the right things.”
Local Sports
Blue Devils stay red hot, dump Westover
- Local Sports
-
-
Tattnall Square tops Tiftarea, 6-2
Ernie Banks used to say, "let's play two." In a game that was as long as two and was defined early on by errors and later by a pitching duel, it would be offense that propelled the Tattnall Square Trojans past the Tiftarea Academy Panthers, 6-2 in 14 innings. Tattnall, who won the first game of the series, 4-1 before dropping game two, 6-3, will meet Mount de Sales in the Class AAA semifinals next week.
-
Loop the Lake coming June 1
The 2013 Lake Blackshear Loop the Lake 5K Run, 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk and Stroller Roll benefiting GraceWay Recovery Residence will be held on Saturday, June 1 at the Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club.
-
Tiftarea-Tattnall split
The quarterfinals series between the Tiftarea Academy Panthers and defending state Class AAA champions Tattnall Square Trojans matched up two of the top teams in the state and after two games, the battle has been a stalemate. The Trojans won the first game 4-1, while the Panthers took game two, 6-3. Game three will be today at 2 p.m.
-
Tiftarea hosts defending state champs
Coach Brad Porter and the Tiftarea Academy Panthers have been taking the road to the GISA state Class AAA championship one obstacle at a time. As Region 3's No. 1 seed they are entitled to host the quarterfinals round, which starts at 4 p.m. today in Chula. However, their obstacle is a big one: the defending state champions, the Tattnall Square Trojans.
-
First inning dooms Devils
For a team used to deciding games late, it was the first inning that hurt the Tift County Blue Devils Wednesday. Two homeruns within a span a three hitters put the Walton Raiders up by three. That would be the final margin in the quarterfinal series between the two schools, the Devils ending their season with a 5-2 loss in Marietta.
-
TCHS spring football game Friday
Are you ready for some football? The Tift County Blue Devils are. Their spring game is being played Friday and it is the start of a fresh season of competition. The game will be played at Brodie Field at 7 p.m. Admission for adults is $5, but is free for students.
-
Late magic forces another game three
Metro Atlanta has become home away from home for the Tift County Blue Devils. They have made four trips north for three series in the state Class AAAAAA baseball playoffs. All three series have gone to game three, the third against the Walton Raiders in Marietta because of a miracle comeback 2-1 win after a first game loss of 8-0. Game three will begin at 4:30 p.m. today.
-
GHSA girls state track results
The girls state track competition was held last weekend at Albany's Hugh Mills Stadium and several area athletes participated in events.
- Tift County spring football game Friday
-
Quarterfinals has Devils on the road again
Convenience store owners on I-75 probably know the Tift County Blue Devils by name now. They will be making their third bus ride in two weeks to metro Atlanta when they play the Walton Raiders of Marietta today in a doubleheader in the state Class AAAAAA baseball quarterfinals.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
