Tift routs Camden County

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Tift County’s Dee Dee DeShazer (22) drives against Camden County Saturday. Lady Devil teammates Staceyanna Murrell and Brecklyn Greene wait for a potential rebound Becky Taylor/The Tifton Gazette

January 27, 2013

Tift routs Camden County

Anonymous CNHI The Tifton Gazette Sun Jan 27, 2013, 01:00 AM EST

TIFTON — Julie Conner finally got that easy she wanted. Her Tift County Lady Devils smashed the Lady Wildcats of Camden County, 51-20, and Dr. Eric Holland's Blue Devils pulled a similar stunt in the boys contest, winning 73-47.

Judging by the first quarter, it looked like the Lady Devils would again pull off a narrow win. Dee Dee DeShazer nailed a three-pointer in the first 30 seconds of the game, but could not get any offense going as Raven Burden tied the game two minutes later with a three of her own and when the Lady Devils seemed to have an early streak going, Camden put on the brakes. Sharai Larry's bucket looked to make it a two point game after a quarter, but Staceyanna Murrell scored with four seconds left to increase the lead to four, 12-8, at the end of the first.

Switching defenses in the second, Tift began to take command. Murrell made it 16-8 at 4:30, then Brakia Bateman increased that to 15 during her personal spree of six straight points. The last of these closed out the half, one that saw Camden come up with a goose egg in the second and the host Lady Devils up 25-8.

The Lady Cats continued to be burdened in the third period until a pair of Burden free throws gave them their first points in 12 minutes and stopped a 21-0 Tift run. While it stopped the scoreless streak, the offensive one continued. At the end of the quarter, their run was up 32-2 and Conner had long since emptied the bench. Tift's starters would enjoy the mercy rule-shortened fourth quarter as spectators as the Lady Devils of the future kept the momentum going. Frankeisha Hill would score four of their nine points. Camden mustered eight in final quarter. The Lady Devils took their 17th victory of the season, 51-20.

This tied their biggest blowout of the season. They had beaten Central of Macon by the same amount Dec. 14. Conner said she was thrilled to finally be able to relax for an evening. "It feels nice," she said, adding that she was happy that the bench got some much-needed playing time. "They've worked so hard," she said. Bateman and Alexis Johnson each had 13 points to lead Tift. Burden had over half of her team's total with 11.

The Lady Devils are now 17-3 and have won 14 straight after starting 3-3.

While the Devils won the nightcap by 26, their game also appeared to be a close one in the early moments.

Tift had the lead for most of the quarter, but could not get more than a basket ahead until 1:21 when DJ Bryant's three made it 21-17. This started up a run that saw them outscore the Wildcats 12-2 to end the first frame and continue for three minutes into the second before Sam Tucker was able to score a basket to make the score 34-21.

It was little worry for the Blue Devils as a minute later Brannen Greene pushed the lead to 20 and the margin hovered around that for the remainder of the half as Tift took a 47-27 lead to the lockerroom.

The Devils were given a scare in the final minutes of the quarter when Tadric Jackson landed hard after a foul. He would attempt the free throws but would be held out to start the third. While his teammates kept the momentum in his absence, his return boosted them even more. He would be the one to increase the lead to 30 at 2:30 and in the closing seconds of the third quarter, he would carefully measure the Camden defense before slashing down the lane to unleash a thunderous slam dunk to finish the quarter.

Tift's 69-36 lead entering the final period again meant a shortened clock and Holland brought in substitutes to finish out the action. Camden would outscore the Devils, 11-4 in the quarter but it was much too little and far too late as the final was 73-47.

The Blue Devils had a balanced scoring attack on the evening. Greene led the team with 17. Jackson added 14, Bryant 12 and Donell Tuff finished with 11. Tucker topped Camden with 18.

In Brunswick Friday night, the Devils and Lady Devils took two victories from the Pirates.

Tift's girls had another close one, winning 51-41. They had a two-point lead after one, but fell behind in the second. Brunswick was up 24-21 at the half and 34-32 at the end of the third. Free throws would make the difference in the fourth, as the Lady Devils went 9-7 at the line, but the Lady Bucs only managed 1-8. DeShazer scored 17 and Johnson 11.

The Devils and Pirates were tied after the first quarter at 14, but an offensive surge in the second quarter gave them a 37-26 lead at the half. Brunswick spoiled Tift's chances at a runaway in the third, outscoring them 22-13 to make a two-point game going into the fourth, but the Devils were able to put some distance between them and their opponents to take the 79-66 win.

Greene had 33 points, including 11 in the final frame. Tuff added 14 and Ladarius Stewart 12.

Tift County is off until Friday, when they visit Lowndes. Their next home game will be Saturday, when they host Valdosta.

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