Tift's Tristan Boone takes on an opponent under the basket during the 2nd half.

TIFTON — Tift County completed its season basketball sweep Tuesday, Jan. 2, over Coffee High in basketball. The Lady Devils started hot, but had to hold off Coffee in the 4th quarter, 54-39. The Blue Devils continued their rise, winning their fourth straight contest, 45-35.

The Lady Devils staked a 21-6 lead early in the 2nd period, but hat faded to 35-31 in the last minute of the 3rd quarter.

Tift immediately got relief through free throws, Jimmya Cushion and Jalaya Miller connecting on 4-of-4 from the free throw stripe. That carried the locals to a 39-31 advantage going into the 4th.

The last of the trips to the free throw line came at the expense of a fourth foul on a Coffee player. That was only the start for the Lady Trojans, who expended substantial energy in the comeback. By the end of the contest, CHS was cycling four players with four fouls. Tift took advantage to stretch their lead back out.

Faith Hillmon led off the frame with a block. Iryonnia Lewis scored for Coffee to make it 39-30, the last time the Lady Trojans kept it under 10 points before the fouls completely took hold.

Makayla Bryant completed a three-point play on a drive to the hoop for a 12-point lead. Miller followed with a jumper. Makala Horne made a free shot, then Miller assisted Cushion. When a Cushion steal turned into another free throw, Tift was comfortably ahead 48-33 with 3:04 remaining in the game.

Coffee had one last brief gasp, Jasmine Porter hitting one of two at the line to be 50-39 at 1:17 before Miller and Amiya Jordan closed out scoring.

Tift County came out red hot in the opening eight minutes, showing the flash that carried them over some of the state’s top teams during their holiday tournaments.

Hillmon, a post player, had back-to-back steals she converted into layups to be up 9-2 at 4:52. Miller had two blocks in the 1st and pushed the Lady Devils ahead 19-6 on a Caitlyn Burgess assist that began as another Hillmon steal.

Scoring slowed down considerably in the 2nd, Coffee scoring eight points to Tift’s four. Burgess and Cushion hit from beyond the arc to start the 3rd, but the Lady Trojans had three 3-pointers to further cut into the lead.

Miller’s 16 points led Tift County, followed by 12 from Burgess and 11 from Hillmon. Lewis’ 8 points led Coffee, with 7 each from Paris Riley and Porter.

DEVILS 45, COFFEE 45

For perhaps the first time this year, the Blue Devils were in command from start z to finish.

Corey Howard dumped a pass low in the post to Jaden Nelson for an easy basket one minute into the game. Junitho Benson used a steal to tie it a minute later, but Howard came back with a block, TeShawn Bryant hit a 3 and Tristan Boone connected twice to go up 10-2.

Ahead 10-5 after a period, Tift spent the 2nd on an 11-4 run. The dominance was on both ends of the court. Howard, McKyler Horne and Nelson delivered blocks in the paint. Howard hit two baskets, Horne split defenders for a layup on a steal and Kaden Lawson threw down his first dunk of the night. Tift went into intermission ahead 21-9.

Coffee hung around for a bit in the 3rd, Marquavious Bussey’s jumper at 2:21 closed the gap to 27-20. Quay Bell closed the door on any potential rally with his only four points of the game.

With five minutes to go in the 4th, the Trojans still a chance for a late comeback down six on a Benson bucket. Unlike the Irwin County game that closed out the McDonald’s Invitational, Tift surged. Lawson extended his long arms to nudge in a pass from Fred White.

After Coffee missed two free throws, the Devils’ run continued with a three by the bench by Nelson and runner from Boone for a 42-29 score. The pattern repeated with a 6-0 Trojans run. Lawson stopped it with a block, then thundered another dunk. Horne had a last point on an intentional foul at 1:05 after he swiped a pass.

Howard had a team-high 10 points for the Blue Devils. Boone scored 9 and Lawson netted seven, with the two dunks. Bussey led Coffee with 14 and Edwards scored 11.

Tift County jumps into Region 1-6A action Friday and Saturday. Veterans comes to The Palace Friday and the Blue Devils and Lady Devils visit Thomas County Central for Saturday afternoon games.