Lady Devils upset Vikettes at Lowndes; Blue Devils win, too
Published 9:34 pm Saturday, February 1, 2025
VALDOSTA — Tift County’s Lady Devils pulled off one of the state’s biggest upsets this year Saturday night, knocking off No. 9 Lowndes in double overtime, 57-55.
Tift’s Blue Devils had a 43-42 win over Lowndes in the nightcap to keep their hopes of hosting the Region 1-6A tournament alive. They are tied with Valdosta for second place, both one win behind Colquitt County.
Lowndes’ Vikettes entered the night 17-2 and 6-0 in Region 1-6A. Even more special for Tift, the Vikettes were celebrating Senior Night.
The result means even more considering a pair of losses. Tift dropped a 38-25 game Friday at Richmond Hill. And 28 days ago, the Lady Devils failed to hit a first-half field goal in a 52-28 loss to Lowndes.
“We played out of our minds,” said head coach Julie Conner-Johnson.
Jalaya Miller had a career high 31 points, sinking five three-pointers and going 12-of-16 from the free throw line. Amiya Jordan chipped in 12 before fouling out.
Defense told its own tale. Conner-Johnson tried a different defense. It worked. Aryana Thomas had a mere two points in regulation before getting nine in overtime. Though Kaci Demps led Lowndes with 18, “We still played her very, very well.”
Ke’nashah Mitchell played a great defensive game, Conner-Johnson said, with Miller, Jaziyah Johnson and Mariyah Batts also crunching down on the Vikettes’ shooters. Under the basket, Mackenzie Holliday had 18 rebounds.
Tift had a 14-12 lead at the end of the first quarter and were up 23-17 at halftime. An 11-5 fourth quarter sent the game to OT.
“I told them, ‘You enjoy this win tonight,'” said Conner-Johnson. “We worked every single second. The girls believed. I am so proud of them.”
The win bounces the Lady Devils to a tie for fourth in the region standings with Colquitt County. Tift has two region games remaining, both a home – Camden County is in Friday and Valdosta (0-8) on Saturday. The Lady Devils also have a non-region game Tuesday at Veterans.
DEVILS 43, LOWNDES 42
The Devils had a 19-13 lead at halftime. Lowndes outscored them by five in the third, but it was not enough. Both teams had 10 points in the fourth.
J.J. Lamar again led Tift in scoring at 13 points. Kaden Lawson had 12 with Marshall Howard adding 9. Tift shot 46% from the field while holding the Vikings to 30%.
Like the girls, the Blue Devils avenge an early-season loss to Lowndes. They are 16-6 overall.
Bringing the region tournament back to The Palace can be done by Tift County alone if they win over Camden and Valdosta.
“We gotta win both games this weekend to host for sure,” said head coach Tommy Blackshear. “This is the position that you want to be in. We control our destiny!”
If Tift finishes first or second in the regular season, they have another reward: An automatic state tournament bid. The Blue Devils have the state’s longest current streak at 31 consecutive years.