CHULA — Brookwood’s Warriors won both games of the Tiftarea Panthers’ District 3-3A debut Friday night, but the Lady Panthers almost pulled a massive upset.

Brookwood’s Lady Warriors are off to a 3-0 start in the district, but had their hands full all night in hanging on 50-45. On the other hand, the Warriors looked like future state champions in their 75-24 final score.

“I know,” was head coach Tay Mallory’s response about how close they came while he marveled at the scorebook. Tiftarea’s growth has been remarkable since the start of the season.

Mallory took over after one regular season game. Following that 29-point loss in the opener, it’s been nothing but improvement. Though they have only a single senior and one of the shortest benches around, Tiftarea has given everyone fits. With a 1-10 mark, they have had to settle for close often, playing six games decided by 10 or fewer points.

The bench was even more limited Friday with Maci Shoultz not suiting up. Tiftarea used six players total over a grueling 32 minutes.

Mallory’s plan was simple: Get to the free throw line as much as possible. To do that, the Lady Panthers constantly worked the ball inside, either letting Kate Coogle make a move on a drive, or for Kate Phillips or Lexi Connell drive.

Through three quarters, Tiftarea only attempted one outside shot. Time after time, Brookwood bit on the inside moves and the Lady Panthers attempted 46 free throws. In the process, they fouled out one Brookwood player and had three others with four fouls.

The Lady Warriors jumped ahead immediately in the game, scoring five points in 75 seconds. At 6:04, Connell scored in the paint on a Phillips assist, a rare basket from the field.

Coogle made three trips to the free throw line over the next three minutes, giving Tiftarea their first lead at 6-5. Scoring was back and forth briefly, as Morgan Boggs put the Lady Warriors up at 9-8 at 2:53 but Tiftarea stuck to its strategy.

Four free shots from Connell and Coogle flipped the score to 12-9 at the end of the frame.

Brookwood did not bite as much in the second period, but all five fouls resulted in chances at the stripe. Four were on shooting fouls and the fifth, on the floor, was a bonus opportunity.

Additionally boosted by McKenna Grace Graham putting in an offensive rebound and a layup by Coogle, the Lady Panthers surged ahead at 21-12. Emma Rhodes and Dylan Simmons had treys in the last 1:25, but the hosts finished the half ahead 23-18.

The tide turned at the beginning of the third quarter. Brookwood forced turnovers and scored seven straight to go up 25-23.

Tiftarea did not go away, however, and did not deviate from the system that was working so well.

Coogle and Connell each tied it at the line and when Coogle was fouled on an offensive rebound, she hit the “and one” at 2:34 for a 31-29 lead. That would be their last, though.

Eliza Rosser had a three from the corner. That and a traditional three-point play by Boggs gave the Lady Warriors a 35-31 advantage, which bumped slightly to 36-34 going into the fourth.

Madi Shoultz made all three free throws after Brookwood couldn’t resist fouling outside as well. The game was one-possession again at 39-37 with 6:30 remaining, but now time and energy were slipping away.

Tiftarea had only used a single substitute all night and fatigue finally set in. Fouls were getting to be a concern as well. At the end, four the five starters had four fouls.

Williams put the Lady Warriors ahead 49-43 at 1:02. Connell had one last jumper before Brookwood ran out the clock.

Coogle scored 22 of the 45 points, making 16 of 21 free shots. Connell added 12 points. Tiftarea made 29 of the 46 foul shots.

Boggs finished at 14 for Brookwood and Jacobson scored 9.

WARRIORS 75, TIFTAREA 24

Each team entered with only one loss, but the matchup nightmare was too much for the Panthers. They were down 15-5 after a quarter and 35-8 at the half.

Six-foot-nine Walker Jackson was the most obvious difficulty and he put on a show with multiple slam dunks, including off offensive rebounds. The rest of Brookwood wasn’t as tall but equally difficult to guard.

Roscoe Jones’ speed and Thomas Lee’s range gave them fits, as well as a combination of both by Levi Williams and Jordyn Jean.

Elijah Smith assisted J.R. Walker for a 4-2 deficit. Nothing went right for most of the rest of the frame, until Ben Smith cashed in a three from the top of the key with 20 seconds left.

Brookwood dialed up the pressure in the second during a 20-0 run. Andrew Connell sank a late Tiftarea three.

Ben Smith and Connell had treys in the third, but a 57-17 Warriors advantage made for a mercy rule in the fourth. Youth played nearly all the final six minutes. Pax Fernandez, Parker Hobbs and Hayden Matthews scored in the fourth.

The Panthers were led in scoring by Ben Smith and Connell with six points apiece.