ALBANY — Tift County’s Blue Devils avenged their opening game loss Tuesday by defeating Westover, 47-41 at Albany’s Boston Garden.

The Patriots had won 41-37 in Tifton earlier this month. Tift’s win broke a string of six straight victories in the series by Westover, dating back to December 2020. The news was not as good for the Lady Devils, who only made it to the free throw line for five shots in a 38-37 loss.

Tift teams go to Sumter County Friday and are to be back home Saturday against Fitzgerald. Varsity girls starts both nights at 6 p.m.

It was all Blue Devils nearly all night. They jumped out to an 18-2 lead early in the second quarter and were up 32-18 going into the fourth.

The Devils doubled Westover at 36-18 early in the last period, thanks to a dunk by Cordell Nelson and post-up by Rio Brewton.

The rest of the frame saw the stress levels of the Tift coaching staff rise. Up 39-23, they saw the Pats net the next 10. J.J. Lamar pushed the lead back up to eight at 44-36, Westover had five straight points to close to 44-41.

Fortunately, there was Kaden Lawson scoring on an inbounds pass. He was fouled on the play and made the free throw for the final score.

Nelson scored nine in the first half and had 17 points total to lead the way. Lamar scored 10 points. Tift dominated the paint at both ends of the floor.

LADY PATS 38, TIFT 37

Jalaya Miller is back into a groove, with 19 markers at Westover, with three three-pointers. Jaziyah Johnson scored 11 points.

The rest of the squad was not as fortunate, with the Lady Devils dropping their second consecutive start.