Tucker Hall (21) is determined to hang on against a swarming Windsor as teammate Culley Henley (3) signals he's open at the 3-point line.

CHULA — For one quarter, it looked like the Tiftarea Academy Lady Panthers might could hit the third column of the scoreboard. They notched 26 points in eight minutes of action and were scoring at will in their opening game Tuesday, Nov. 29, against Windsor Academy’s Lady Knights.

However, head coach Rob Flick elected to make sure his entire roster got plenty of experience. All of his lineup combinations still dominated Windsor, but the scoring was not quite as breakneck the rest of the way, ending 63-12.

In the nightcap, Windsor turned the tables, using a swirling 1st half defense for a 61-20 win.

Tiftarea will be back on the court Dec. 2 to face Southwest Georgia Academy at home.

The Lady Panthers were hot from behind the three-point line in the 1st half. Jolee Paulk scored their first points with a 3 from the Windsor side of the court off an assist from Elli Bryan. Twenty seconds later, Bryan hit from the same spot for a 6-0 lead in the first minute of the game. Threes from Ali Strenth and Bryan followed. Strenth’s was bank a shot and Bryan hit her third to make it 16-0 at 4:09.

With Flick already deep into his bench, Amelia Mercer made two free throws for a 21-0 advantage at 1:06. Only then did Windsor finally get on the scoreboard, free throws by Tori Rogers.

Strenth closed out the quarter with a three off an inbounds pass. The Lady Panthers were ahead 26-4.

Tiftarea outscored Windsor in the 2nd quarter, 10-1. Grace Odom lit up the frame with five of those points and Mercer added three.

Tiftarea’s starters made a brief appearance in the 3rd quarter. Bryan dished dimes for teammates and Livi Mullis made their ninth three-pointer of the evening. Strenth made three free throws and the younger Lady Panthers returned to action for good.

The score was well past mercy rule territory when Shelby Whitfield made a basket with 21 seconds left in the quarter.

Lexi Connell pushed the advantage to 50 points, 59-9, with a basket to open the final period. Mercer and Connell scored the remainder of the points in the 4th for Tiftarea and Natalia Rodriquez scored Windsor’s third and final shot from the field.

Bryan scored 13 points for Tiftarea, with four baskets from behind the arc. Strenth added 11 points and 2 blocks. Odom and Mercer had 9 apiece.

Rodriquez was Windsor’s points leader with 6, both three-pointers.

WINDSOR 61, PANTHERS 20

The Knights swarmed early and often in their victory, with a press they were able to set up regardless of whether or not a basket was made on their end.

With little room for the Panthers to breathe, Windsor scored 23 points in the opening eight minutes. Reed Barr scored 8 of these points and Cameron Houston spent much of his time at the free throw line as the Panthers tried to shut down the visitors’ barrage of shots.

Cubbie Crosson bucketed the Panthers’ initial points of the young season, cutting Windsor’s lead to 6-2. By the time Crosson scored again, this time on a free throw, the lead was up to 21-3.

Tucker Hall’s 3-pointer at the end of the 1st seemed to ignite Tiftarea’s offense, which got a bit more comfortable with itself over the rest of the half. J.R. Walker used his height inside to get four points off offensive rebounds. Raj Singh finished off a fast break at 1:17 with a layup. Windsor was ahead 34-14 at the break.

Barr was back at it in the 3rd, with 10 points between himself and Windsor teammate Landen Locke.

Walker turned another rebounds into points in each of the final two quarters. Dallas Henderson banked in points in the 4th.

Eight points by Walker led the way for the Panthers, with 3 each from Hall and Crosson.

Barr scored 14 for Windsor. Nine more came from Jeffery Denny.