TIFTON — There was plenty to enjoy for Tift County basketball fans Tuesday night. The Blue Devils took a big lead in the first half against Northside and never let it get dramatic. The Lady Devils, in addition to handling Northside all night, had a special return to the lineup.

LADY DEVILS 41, NORTHSIDE 16

Jimmya Cushion, last seen in the elite eight game last February against River Ridge, made her season debut Tuesday, checking in late in the first quarter.

Head coach Julie Conner-Johnson said that while Cushion has been cleared to play for about a week, Cushion had initially circled another date to get in uniform. Prior to the Northside game, Cushion informed her coach she was ready.

Cushion being on the floor worried Conner-Johnson, but not for injury reasons. At the time of her injury, Cushion had 992 career points. Her surprise return meant that nothing was ready in case she did break 1,000 against Northside. Fortunately, everyone at Tift can plan. A third quarter three-pointer were her only points of the night; Cushion currently sits at 995.

To say the Lady Eagles had difficulties with Tift might be an understatement. During a two-minute stretch of the first frame, they were called for backcourt, a shot clock violation and a 10-second violation when they couldn’t beat the press past halfcourt.

On top of that Northside was shut out for the first 12 minutes of the game. Tift led 17-0 at the end of the opening quarter.

Jalaya Miller was on fire during the first period, sinking three three-pointers, assisted by Makayla Bryant and Jaziyah Johnson, and had 13 points.

Mariyah Batts extended the lead to 18-0 before Zayla Turner got the ball in the basket for the Lady Eagles at 3:59. Where Miller dominated earlier, Mackenzie Holliday got involved in the post, including scoring on a high-low set. It was 25-4 at halftime.

Tift came close to getting a mercy-rule shortened fourth, Cushion’s triple pushing the lead to 35-4 at 2:02 in the third quarter. Taylor Johnson hid three points for Northside in the final minute and the Lady Devils were two short of the margin at 37-9.

Though Tift did not get the shortened fourth, they did get five points off the bench from Jazlin Martinez in the quarter, both buckets on assists from Kenashah Mitchell.

Miller led both teams with 15 points. Holliday added 8. Madi Burch was Northside’s leader at 4.

“They’re looking more comfortable,” said Conner-Johnson as her team improves to 4-5.

The Lady Devils have only one more game for the 2024 portion of the season. They will be home against Appling County Dec. 28 as part of Tift’s annual Christmas Classic. Tift was to have played two games, but saw the first one canceled.

BLUE DEVILS 46, NORTHSIDE 28

Much to the delight of their coaches, Tift County’s boys kept it interesting against the Eagles, but never dramatic.

The 6-1 Devils never trailed during the 32 minutes of basketball. After taking a 16-7 lead in the first quarter, they never let it get closer than seven points after.

Like their girls’ team, Northside had an odd start. Technically, the oddness began before the opening tip. Northside wore white, home, uniforms and Tift wore gray uniforms.

Less than four minutes in, when the Devils had a 6-2 advantage, a Northside player accidentally tipped a defensive rebound into the Tift net, Kaden Lawson getting credited with the points.

J.J. Lamar made two three-pointers in the first frame after Rio Brewton got the momentum going by making all four of his foul shots. Staked to the 16-7 lead, the Blue Devils began the second with blocks by Lawson and Quay Bell.

Northside’s Vontrez Quainton banked in a triple to pull to 18-11, but Tift got going again by back-to-back jumpers by Jalen White and Lawson. When Cordell Nelson was fouled on a made skyhook with 32 seconds remaining, the score jumped to 25-11. Ben Hill added a short jump shot to end the half.

Ky Pearson ended a 7-0 Eagles run midway through the third quarter, but that was the last gasp for the visitors.

Nelson had another three-point play and Lamar added five points to tough plays in the paint. Tift had a 37-20 lead going into the fourth.

Biggest cheers of the night came in the last period when Lamar started a fast break and lofted a high pass over the hoop to Lawson who slammed home the alley-oop.

Lamar led the way for the Blue Devils with 11 points. Lawson scored 9 and Nelson had 8. Meki Spencer was the only Northside player in double-digits. He netted 13.

Tift will head south Friday and Saturday for games at Lowndes High versus Florida schools. They play Williston at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Florida State University High at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Head coach Tommy Blackshear said Williston was an outstanding bunch, pointing out their Florida Class 1A state championship last season. FSU High is 8-1 going into a Friday game against Houston County.