Joslyn Reyes looks for an opening against the Camden County defense Tuesday. Reyes was one of Tift's leaders for the game, scoring 11 points as the Lady Devils earned their way back to the state tournament.

TIFTON – The Tift County Lady Devils earned their eighth consecutive state basketball tournament bid Tuesday night, hanging on to a 44-40 win over Camden County in the region tournament.

Tift had needed a win to automatically qualify for the GHSA Class AAAAAAA state tourney and did so by leading from buzzer to buzzer. An incorrect number in the scorebook allowed Kaysie Harrelson to hit a free throw before the clock even started and excluding two brief ties, never fell behind.

At times, it seemed like Tift was behind. For big chunks of the contest, the Lady Devils were down two starters. Nicky Jones missed the last 3:30 of the first half after picking up her third foul, then sat down nearly all of the third quarter when she committed her fourth.

Another big blow in the second period came just after Jones sat with foul problems. Denise Duggins went down with a knee injury and, too, was out the rest of the quarter. Duggins was taped up at intermission and started the third quarter, but played little in the second half.

With the duo of Jones and Duggins unavailable, it was up to a trio of Tift players – Joslyn Reyes, Destiny Johnson and Harrelson – to carry the offensive load.

Reyes started hot, hitting a pair of first quarter three-pointers as Tift took a 10-2 lead in the first three minutes of the contest. The final three points of the opening streak were courtesy of Johnson, who hit a three from the top of the key and had seven points in the period.

Camden shook off the early cobwebs at the first quarter. A basket and a free throw off a steal by Talia Hamilton made it 13-6 at the end of the frame, then a Kayla Ellis three-point shsot to start the second cut it to 13-9.

The Lady Wildcats increased backcourt defensive pressure and came away with a few turnovers before Tift was able to adjust. Reyes and Harrelson hit three-pointers and when Jones drove to the basket at 4:26, the advantage had jumped to 23-11.

After Jones and Duggins had to sit, the Lady Devils turned to Kalliyah Wright and San Graddic to handle the ball. Graddic drew two fouls, scoring a point off one trip to the line in the second. The quarter ended 26-16, Tift, Jamia Level making a shot as time expired on a Harrelson assist.

Tift came out in the third quarter in a stall, but Camden took over the pace. At 5:39 Malerie Brooks had gotten the Lady ‘Cats to within four points, 26-22. A three-point play by Level brought it back to seven points, but Camden scored seven straight.

Brooks’ three-pointer with two minutes left made for a 29-29 contest, but Tift went into the fourth with a two-point lead when Reyes drove to the hoop at 1:50.

Nicole Jones of Camden provided for the game’s final tie, 31-31, with 6:40 to play.

Tift built its lead back slowly: a free throw by Level, Harrelson scoring on an offensive rebound before Johnson made it 37-31 when she hit from deep at 4:27.

Brooks responded with a three-pointer of her own at 2:38 to cut the lead to three, then a minute later got it down to 38-36 on free throws.

But Johnson scored at 1:25, then a jump ball on a Level block at 1:03 went to Tift.

Johnson hit a single free throw for a 41-38 lead at 0:52. Hamilton got Camden within striking distance at 0:43 but Tift had a trick up its sleeve seconds later when Reyes spotted a wide open Harrelson streaking to the basket on an inbounds pass.

Camden stayed alive when Brooks was fouled on a basket at 0:22, but missed a chance to get closer when she missed the free throw, keeping the score 43-40.

Harrelson hit a single free throw with six seconds left, giving Tift an insurmountable four-point lead.

Johnson’s 12 points were the most for Tift. Reyes and Harrelson each added 11 points.

Brooks topped Camden with 14 points.

Tift’s girls will be back on the court Thursday at 6 p.m., facing Colquitt County. The Lady Devils will again be the visiting team in the contest, despite the region tournament being played at Tift.