VALDOSTA — Tift County only scored two baskets outside the paint Saturday evening. J.J. Lamar’s was the difference-maker as the Blue Devils defeated Colquitt County 42-40 for the Region 1-6A third seed.

Tift’s hearts were broken. With 18 seconds left, Cason Harden drilled a corner three on an inbounds pass majorly frustrating head coach Tommy Blackshear and leaving the Devils, who struggled to score all game, were down 40-39.

The next 18 seconds were an eternity. Colquitt had four fouls to give. They committed two. Tift called time with 7 seconds left. Colquitt called it with 5.5, then Tift did, too.

Finally, they got the ball in and Lamar, not seeing a clear shot as time ticked down, heaved it over two defenders who were in his face. It went in as the buzzer sounded and a jubilant Tift won for the third time over the Packers this year. Two were buzzer-beaters.

It was not Tift County’s best shooting day ever.

Four players accounted for the 42 points.

Marshall Howard had two of them, a hook shot that put the Blue Devils down 10-9 at the end of the opening frame.

Nothing dropped from beyond the paint. Multiple players took a chance. Even Lamar did not score a single point in the first half.

That meant the game rested on the tall shoulders of Kaden Lawson and Cordell Nelson. Both delivered. Lawson finished at 17 points and Nelson scored 10.

In contrast, the Packers had the touch.

Harden sank two treys in the first quarter and Marcus Moore had another. Moore had a three to begin the second, countering a short Lawson jumper for Colquitt to be up 13-11.

Soon the Devils were in trouble. An 8-0 Pack run had them down 21-13 at 2:21. Nelson and Lawson scored their first baskets after a four-minute drought, but they were still down 23-17 at the break.

The ice finally thawed slightly in the third and TCHS found a bit of a rhythm. Lamar finally scored — on free throws. In between blocks by Nelson and Lawson, Ben Hill tossed up an alley oop and Lawson tied the game at 25.

Zhi Alridge stole a pass and Colquitt regained the lead. Soon came a 5-1 CCHS streak. But Tift had the last four of the third and it was tied again at 32 going to the fourth.

Lawson stole a pass and dunked. Alridge scored, but then came something right for the night for Tift: Lamar beat the shot clock with a three, the first bucket outside the paint.

The 37-34 lead was short-lived. Free throws tied at 3:31. Neither team scored for nearly three minutes until Lawson’s put-back made for a 39-37 lead.

Harden took advantage of a defensive breakdown and it seemed like the Packers finally had Tift’s number. But Lamar stung them and Tift won its 18th of the season.

Besides the totals of Lawson, Nelson and Howard, Lamar finished at 13 points. Alridge had 14 for Colquitt and Harden scored 9.

The Blue Devils hit the road next for a state tournament game at Walton.